


Here In Today's World

by seastar91



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ariana Dumbledore Lives, Awkward Romance, Dysfunctional Family, Friendship/Love, Gellert Grindelwald Being Creepy, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, London, Multi, Musicians, Possessive Behavior, Sexual Content, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:02:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 23
Words: 113,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26053900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seastar91/pseuds/seastar91
Summary: Modern AU/Non MagicGrindeldore set in modern London <3. When Ariana Dumbledore becomes victim of assault and an enraged Percival Dumbledore is sent to prison for attacking her underage assaulter, things spiral downwards rapidly for the Dumbledore family. The formerly wealthy and high-status family are forced to move to a modest house in Clapham Common and Albus's plans to go travelling after high school are ripped away, as he is pressured to attend university and work part time to provide income support instead. Living also on the street the family has moved to, is historian and text book author Bathilda Bagshot and her rebellious, wayward nephew Gellert Grindelwald who has eyes for the eldest Dumbledore sibling and is delighted when he finds Albus attending the same university as him.
Relationships: Aberforth Dumbledore/Vinda Rosier, Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald, Minerva McGonagall/Dougal McGregor
Comments: 184
Kudos: 88





	1. Albus and Co

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome
> 
> I've been reading fan fiction since I can remember and have always wanted to have a go a writing something, but have never had the confidence to do so until now. I am a fan of Grindeldore, as I find the relationship both intense and mystifying (considering JK Rowling hasn't fully opened us up to their youth relationship yet). 
> 
> I've kept certain things canon, but considering its a modern fic, I've adapted a few things here and there to better fit the story. 
> 
> \- Firstly ages, in this fic Gellert and Vinda are 19, Albus, Minerva and Elphias are 18, Aberforth is 17, Ariana is 15 and Kendra and Bathilda are in their early 40's  
> \- Bathilda is Gellert's aunt, not his great aunt and a queen, aka the adult all teens need in their life.  
> \- Bathilda is a lesbian because i like that headcanon a lot  
> \- Kendra is still alive in this fic, (there is slight Kendra bashing so be warned)  
> \- Some aspects of Albus and Gellert's personalities have been inspired by their real life actors, aka Gellert is a musician because Jamie IS a musician, Albus' love of books is a nod to Toby who occasionally shares books he likes on his instagram. 
> 
> The first two chapters set the characters and story in motion and contain a lot of narrative structure, so they are a bit slow. Also grammar has never been my strong suit, so if this fic is full of mistakes, i do apologise in advance. 
> 
> Finally to give credit where its due, thank you to -  
> Lucky_Moony for her fic 'Wicked (TM), Bluecrownedbird for her Triwizard AU comics and obiviouslyelementary for her fic 'Love in 2000's' which each helped to inspire this fic. 
> 
> <3

1\. Albus and Co

“Albus” Minerva’s voice was short and stern, “You’re doing it again”

Albus abruptly looked up, his cheeks flushed. It was the third time this morning his friend had to snap him out of dozing off into the palm his hand. They were sat in plush chairs, between a table laid with note-taking and pens at the Costa Coffee on Blackfriars Road, their favourite meeting spot two streets away from campus. 

“I’m sorry Minerva, I’m just so …” the rest of Albus’s words were drowned out by a long yawn. He’d not slept much last night, within his family’s household in the neighbourhood of Clapham Common, Zone 2 of South West London, it had been a restless evening. His younger sister Ariana had suffered an intense panic attack sometime around 8pm, and due to worry and tension that sufficed after as his hysterical, incompetent mother and his immature and over the top younger brother used their best attempts to calm her down, Albus, weary, troubled and unable to sleep, had instead took to beginning and eventually finishing an assignment, that was not due for another three weeks – but whatever! Satisfaction of the completed task finally brought him sleep at approximately 2am, which did not coincide well with the study meeting he had promised his current and best companion Minerva at 8am. 

“I know you don’t like me saying it, but it’s honestly appalling that your mother still won’t budge at the idea of therapy” said Minerva stiffly, “It’s because of people like her, the stigma against mental health issues, is still allowed to reign”. 

“Ariana needs hospitalisation, not just therapy” said Albus bitterly taking a sip of his tea, “It’s been 2 years and within those 2 years, I’ve seen absolutely no improvement whatsoever” He sighed, resting his head one again between his hands. 

~

He loved his sister, there was no doubt about it. She had been light of their lives before the incident. She had been a bright and happy 13-year-old girl, who enjoyed and loved the kind of things that 13 years old girls, love and enjoy. Cute boys, shopping for accessories at Claires, playing games on her iphone, the latest pop music from Ariana Grande, Little Mix, Tones and I etc. when she read, she liked romance fantasy novels and often stalked for these in Albus’ shelf. Her favourite food was Ice-cream, her favourite colour was yellow; she was very fond also of daisy’s and relentlessly tried to grow them with Aberforth’s keen help in their old backyard at their old home in Holland Park. She was also smart, kind, sincere and cared very much for everyone’s happiness and wellbeing. Albus often thought that she might one day grow up to become a nurse or a kindergarten teacher, anything that involved providing care for others. The what happened to her 2 years ago, happened; and this in turn lead to a series of events that now hung over the family like a consistent black cloud not even the brightest of days could extinguish. 

Their father, having assaulted her underage attacker was now imprisoned. Due to this, the family had suffered an extreme loss. Not only in losing the father whose calmness, sensibility and reassuring presence, was the stable force in their lives, but also their provider in all thing’s income and finance. Due to Percival being formerly the highly paid breadwinner he was, and the family having pay further damages to the boy’s family, their finances plummeted within months of the incident. They lost all they previously had, their home, their community and their lifestyle. This meant their mother’s Kendra, had further lost all her former comforts and privileges. Reputation tarnished, wealth disintegrated, her place in society shunned and friends and acquaintances perhaps even more superficial then she is most days - gone. Since no one wanted to assist in helping out the wife of a child abuser, she was forced to suffer her losses and as a result, the family had to up and leave their luxurious residence in high end Holland Park, to settle in a modest townhouse in rough Clapham. Which in Albus’s steady opinion was not the worse place in the world, but in his mother’s eye’s, they might as well have been evicted out to the Canary Islands. Her mother was also forced give up the lifestyle of being a homemaker and socialite to instead take on a part time job of lowly status, so to pay the rent, bills and food and even more shamefully, enlist the support and help offered by her aunt in law – Honoria, who she disliked with a passion. However, be as it may, she couldn’t afford to stay home and home-school Ariana whilst money needed to be brought in, so Honoria whom was now retired, was her only fit choice in the matter.

Furthermore, the attack on Albus’s previous, happy go-lucky, sweet and endearing sister, had left Ariana severely traumatised and his mother had since its occurrence, had steadily refused to give her outsider help and support in the way of a highly educated Clinical Psychologist and/or a steadily praised mental health program provided through the NHS. It didn’t even matter that none of his mother’s former ‘friends’ spoke to her anymore. She was still too far worried about other opinions and too in denial about everything in general to get her daughter the help she so desperately needed (something which greatly disgusted their Aunt Honoria and Albus himself). As for the harsh reality that their father was serving a 10-year sentence for the attack, assault and grievous bodily harm of a minor … well, it’s best not to get into that in too much great detail. In short, his mother had lost the man she formerly relied on for just about everything and was now left to fend for herself and their three children in the fall out of everything exceeding prior. Suffice to say, she hasn’t coped well so far, rationally, logically, clinically, empathetically or in manner that derives pure common sense, in any way, shape or form. 

Then there was Aberforth, Albus’s rough handed, practical and simple-minded younger brother. Aberforth was never a social creature nor was he an academic. He hated city life and would spend his whole year pining for his family’s annual summer visit to the country. They would stay in a country house in a small village in Devon, where in the surrounding felids, there would-be goats, chickens, horses and other farm animals. Aberforth was most at peace out there. Home in London, he was gruff, irritated and always on edge. He did not converse well with the stuck-up types at their former college in Westminster and certainly wasn’t doing much better at Lambeth Academy, the local high school in Clapham. Though at least their he found common ground in the fact that students here, were also more prone to using hands rather than words to solve conflict. Ariana’s illness affected him perhaps worse than it did their mother. Ariana loved Aberforth unconditionally and was his best friend. They were bonded through their love of the simple things in life and each had a strong fondness for animals. On happier days, he would take her the local park to stay hello to ducks, swans and squirrel’s, or on a lucky day with their father’s permission, they would catch a red double decker all the way to Hackney City Farm where they would together adorn over the animals held there. Now however, with Ariana in her current state and unable to leave the house, Aberforth was at a loss. Seeing her suffer not alone from the effects of post-traumatic stress, but serve social anxiety, acrophobia and intense guilt (as she believes her family’s current grievances are all her fault) is a continual devastation for him, made worse due to the fact that previously he always been able to perk her out of any low mood she was in. So angry, confused and helpless, he had taken to expressing his pent-up emotions on any easy target, his own brother being one of them.

Unlike Ariana and Aberforth who had a close and loving relationship, Albus and Aberforth were distant at best, due to the concise fact that they were complete opposite personalities. Aberforth was practical, Albus was theoretical, Aberforth was hot headed whereas Albus was cool, calm and collected. Aberforth would attack situations hands on, Albus would stop, calculate and place things in logical order first. Aberforth was immature on many levels, Albus had always displayed grown up tendencies even at a much younger age. Even physically they were different. Aberforth despite being only 17, was a true masculine build, tall, stocky with large hands and strong features. Albus though tall as well, stood a few inches smaller than his younger brother and was a much slighter build, to point of looking what many would describe as ‘thin’ and his features were fine and delicate. Aberforth like the rest of their family had dark blonde hair, whereas Albus due to a mysterious recessive gene, had radiant auburn red hair that complemented his pale skin colour and crystal blue eyes well. His overall look attracted a lot of embarrassing attention from friends, family and onlookers, which Albus was always incredibly shy about. Aberforth had the same eyes, but his less unique look attracted less attention. Albus was not without faults however, nor Aberforth without more than a few decent virtues. An example being that Albus could sometimes let ambition carry him away and could easily get lost in believing in impossible fantasies, non-reflective of the harsh realities and current state of order. Between the two, Aberforth was the one who more realistic, down to earth and ever mindful of the present, which Albus was grateful for … sometimes. 

If the relationship between the two brothers was strained before, if certainly was more than ever now. Last year, Albus and his best friend Elphias had been planning to take a gap year post high school and pre university to go backpacking around Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. A lifelong dream of Albus’s that his father had greatly encouraged, believing the bookish boy needed more of the real world in his life and that travelling would also assist him in finding his pathway. Kendra wanted Albus’s to become a high-status firm owner like his father, believing he had the right level of intelligence and determination to gather great success in the field. Percival did not doubt one bit that his eldest son was intelligent, to the point of genius perhaps, (if only he would remember to take him to get his IQ tested), but was however adamant on Albus discovering what he wanted in life and pursuing it on his own terms. He felt travelling whilst young would be a great way of figuring that out. Albus by this point had already thought a lot about teaching and was particularly eager in getting involved in programs based in Cambodia that aim to teach residents how to speak English. “Maybe after a few months of travel, I can settle there for a bit and gain some experience” he told his father eagerly over dinner one night, ignoring the rolling eyes of his brother and the protests of his mother who disapproved highly against her favourite child disappearing off to live and work in a third world country. Percival however would nod eagerly as well and promise to start research reputable companies for him, to which Albus would beam happily and his sister Ariana would pat his shoulder affectionally sharing in his delight. But this was of course, 2 years ago, and nothing was the same now.

Now that his father was in prison, his mother got her way in almost all arguments and when graduation did indeed finally come round, she had insisted he stay home in London so that he could be there to provide support for her, his brother and his sister. She wanted him in university straight away and on route to becoming successfully employed in a well-paid field, that she figured would also be the family’s ongoing route out of turmoil. She had meanwhile also pressured him to also take on tutoring opportunities to assist her in delivering income. Albus with great sadness, did what he was told. Elphias left for Australia without him, whilst he enrolled in uni. He did gain some satisfaction from putting his foot down over the field he wanted – Education, rather than what his mother preferred - Law. He reminded his mother that it’s what their father had previously already approved of. With his predictably high grades, the lecturers were more than eager for him to take on an actual tutor position within the university despite him being only a first-year student. For Albus this meant being constantly busy and not home a lot. Due to his current poor home life, this was a win for him, a chance for independence and escapism, but did not go past fuelling his brother eternal resentment towards him. 

Even though he was only doing what his mother wanted him to do - for the greater good of the family, Aberforth always had a stubborn way of seeing things the way he wanted to see things. To him Albus absence, induced lack of care and indifference towards their younger sister. It was no similar to how it had always been for them growing up. Multiple times Aberforth had attempted to sway Albus into coming to the park with him and Ariana. Albus in middle of a very interesting read and not one bit inclined to want to go stare at and name squirrels, would politely refuse, something which Aberforth had always taken to heart and as such, beginning the fuel of long-term resentment aimed towards the golden child of the family. A brother who never seemed interested in spending time with his younger siblings and was always in his parents, particularly their mothers favour. Within the present day, Albus not being home to comfort Ariana during bouts of anxiety and agoraphobia, did not just make Aberforth resentful, it made him downright bitter and he could do little to restrain himself from verbally attacking Albus some nights alone in his room after the rest of the household had gone to sleep. He would then storm back to his own room leaving Albus on the verge of tears and wishing very much that he could just run away from it all. It wasn’t his fault this had happened, and he was doing all he could indirectly to help, but for Aberforth, nothing was ever enough. He would never tell his mother knowing she already had enough on her plate, thereby bearing the blunt of Aberforth’s grief on his own and on top of everything else. 

~

Across the table within their secluded corner of the café he could feel Minerva gazing at him sadly. He forced a smile and squeezed the hand she had offered him. 

“It’ll all come good” he said to her, more as a reassurance to himself than anything else. 

“It will” she agreed encouragingly, “with time, support and constant positive reinforcement, she’ll start getting better, and your mum may ease up a little when Aberforth gets a job and starts helping with the money side of things, has he started looking?”

Aberforth who had turned 17 the previous month had also been pressured into getting a part time job by their mother since he could now legally work. 

“He’s been doing the rounds, putting in resumes at pubs in the area, god knows why he wants to bar tend … he can barely cope with other people when they are sober” Albus pondered, rolling his eyes slightly. 

“He wants an excuse to have an upper hand with idiots” said Minerva, her corner lip twitching in amusement. 

“Probably” said Albus, “I guess it’s a good thing, he won’t be home at night either and then perhaps he’ll understand and stop taking everything out on me”. 

He blinked suddenly realising what he was doing and sat upright in his seat.

“Oh god! I’m sorry Minerva, I don’t mean to burden you with my family drama, we’re meant to be revising for this test” he said almost frantically, his face going crimson yet again. 

“Don’t be stupid” said Minerva putting on her stern voice, “I wouldn't have asked if I didn’t care”.

~

Albus smiled weakly at her, he liked her a lot, she had been a good friend to him in the last 6 months and a fair replacement to his currently absent best friend Elphias. Albus like Aberforth didn’t have a lot of friends in school. He had a genuine shy, reserved personality and preferring the company of books. However, when he one day took notice of a small boy with serve acne being severely tormented by school bullies, for some compelling reason he couldn’t help but intervene. A move that surprised almost everyone, including himself, as the perfect prefect student was notorious for keeping to himself and staying out of others business. 

It was a memory as clear as daylight, to no person more so than Elphias. Albus getting his wits about him, approached a group that had Elphias up against wall of his old high school libarary. 

“Leave him alone” Albus said out loud, firmly and calmly, getting their immediate and surprised attention fast, “What is your purpose for picking on him anyway?”

The leader of the group, a tall guy somewhat on the chubby side looked him up and down and sneered. 

“Mind your own business nerd?”

“Original” said Albus in a loftily tone, “I’m a nerd, he has acne and what are you then? god’s finest creature on Clapham soil, with the size of that stomach I strongly doubt it, so how bout letting him go before you over work yourself and get a cholesterol induced stroke?”

The large boy furiously let Elphias go, Elphias sputtered as he frantically regained composure whilst the boy and his other thick-headed drones took small steps towards Albus, who stayed rooted to the same spot and still with the air of serene calm. 

“What did you just say to me pretty boy?” snarled the leader (Dudley maybe? Albus wasn’t overly sure)

“That your overweight and as it seems, quite stupid” said Albus in a matter of fact tone, “While else would you be threatening someone who has the power get you suspended should you dare touch me or my friend here?”

It was true, being a prefect did mean Albus had some of that gracious fine power and rather than shy away and keep to himself as he normally did, for once he decided it might as well be put to good use. He’d seen Elphias around, a new student that year same as him, and knew that it wasn’t just this group that had given him grief for his unfortunate acne problem and poor social skills, but others as well. Albus being empathetic, felt that the poor guy really needed to catch a break, so what he could do in this given moment, he did. 

The Dudley or something guy’s eye’s widened slightly. In addition to this, Albus was aware that the boys grades were poor, as he’d been referred not once, but twice to Albus for tutoring (failed to show up both times) and that his teacher had empathised before proceedings were to take place, that Dudley’s father had already threatened him with military school should his grades fail to rise and if he continued acting up both inside and outside of class. Realising instantly that Albus had this information and wasn’t scared to use it against him, Dudley relented.

“C’mon” he mouthed to his cronies who shuffled along in his wake. 

From that point on, Elphias had assigned a ‘hero’ status to Albus and proceeded to follow him around everywhere, which Albus found he didn’t mind too much. In fact, it was nice to have someone to talk to in the mist of his ongoing family drama. Overtime their relationship grew to a level of intimacy in which Albus found it safe to tell Elphias about everything – his sister, his mother, his jailed father, his distant cold brother; and Elphias than gave Albus something he didn’t realise how much he needed – a hug, and more than that, unconditional loyalty, support and understanding. They were best friends from day onwards, Elphias agreeing to meet his family who took to him well (even Aberforth) and further taking delight in Albus dreams to go travelling after college graduation. 

“I’ve always wanted to visit Ayres Rock” said Elphias dreamily, as they sat in school courtyard sharing a packet of digestive biscuits (the chocolate coated ones obviously), “See the Aboriginal carvings and study their culture”.

Albus had a sudden thought and good one at that, he swallowed the portion of biscuit in his mouth and turned to look at Elphias sincerely.

“Would you come with me? it’d be way more fun with you as company”

Elphias eyes widen a tad.

“You want me too, I mean … you know, I wouldn’t annoy you” he stammered 

Albus laughed and shook his head a little 

“You don’t annoy me Elphias, why else do I hang out with you?” he said smiling and choosing another biscuit.

“Well I always thought it was me hanging out with you” said Elphias, going slightly red. 

“We hang out together, we’re best friends” said Albus pointedly, to which Elphias beamed. 

~

Albus sighed reflecting on the memory as he and Minerva placed their trays containing empty saucers and cake plates above the bin for the workers to collect. They proceeded to walk out the door into the warming March air. The main difference between Elphias and Minerva, was simply that Elphias had always felt like he’d won the right to hang out with Albus - like it was a Eurovision song contest or something. His and Minerva’s friendship was however, on more mutual terms. What had happened was Albus had arrived slightly late for their very first lecture (they were both studying Education). Finding the hall already packed and not wanting to make a fuss and or interrupt, he eyed off the first available seat close to the entrance. It was next to a girl about his age with black hair, glasses and who was dressed in an emerald green turtleneck, tartan skirt and black stockings. Albus quickly took the few steps down to her aisle and lend down to whisper to her. 

“Excuse me, do you mind if I take a seat here” he asked politely. 

The girl looked up and gave him a curt nod, Albus blushed. She was obviously disapproving towards him being late and interrupting her listening. He hardly blamed her, though wasn’t entirely his fault. Ariana had had an episode that morning making him have to stay back to help his mother. Thus, causing him to be inappropriately behind time on his first day of uni. Taking the mood of his companion into consideration, he sat down as quietly and diplomatically as he could muster. Over the course of the lecture however, her demeanour changed noticeably. From what started as disapproval, became amusement, then approval and finally admiration. For Albus was the top student at his high school and university was so far shaping up to be no different. He confidently and seamlessly answered the lecturer's questions aimed at the room with flawless precision, even adding his own thoughtful and intellectual insight onto each topic. His natural intelligence and aptitude towards the subject shone through leaving those around him dumbfounded and by the end of it, both the lecturer and the girl beside him were positively beaming at him. At the conclusion, Albus had begun to gather his belongings when the girl finally spoke. 

“You missed at the beginning, Mr Thomason mentioned an upcoming partner project for our first assignment, I was wondering - save the stress of waddling around campus trying to find someone, would you like to be my partner” she asked.

“Oh” said Albus taken back, “Yes of course, sure” he added. 

The girl smiled. 

“I really liked listening to your thoughts on ‘Lifelong Learning’, I wholeheartedly agree with all of it .. I’m Minerva” she added. 

“Albus” he said smiling back. 

~

That was about 6 months ago at the start of the school calendar year. Within the months he’d spent in Minerva’s company he’d been pleasantly surprised to find her in a way, very similar to himself. Unlike Elphias who was loyal but dim, Minerva had almost no trouble in keeping up with Albus on an intellectual and personal level. They were both high achievers, both were sharp and quick witted, both were resourceful and clever and the two of them could have endless discussions and debates about - almost anything! (of which Albus mostly won). However, the two had their separate personality traits, Albus was prone to shyness and could become easily flustered, whereas Minerva’s stance was much firmer and tougher. She projected herself as someone you didn’t want to cross and projected it well. It was sad in a way, Albus sometimes thought that Minerva’s demeanour could be slightly off putting to those who didn’t know her well, which was why it was often just to the two of them and no one else. But he knew also that his tendency to be reserved made him not exactly a social catch either. It was fine, in fact … it was more than fine. Even if it was just the two of them, in Elphias absence, she was a great partner in crime. He amused himself sometimes thinking what it would be like when the two of them finally met and thinking it would likely end with Elphias running fast back to Heathrow for the next available flight. Nah! …. It’ll be fine. 

~

‘Everything will be fine’ Albus thought firmly to himself as he and Minerva rounded the corner of Webber and Lancaster street, heading towards their uni.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used to co manage a backpacker hostel in Sydney. I truly miss all the UK and European travellers I met through that job <3


	2. Escape to London

2\. Escape to London

‘This is paradise’ Gellert thought to himself smugly. 

Currently he was lying full horizontal on a public bench within the university campus, lazily strumming his guitar and staring up at the pleasant and rare blue English skyline. The weather was welcoming Spring and he was all for it. Though be it rain, hail or shine, London was utopia whatever the weather. His home away from the home that never was home. It was his place to be himself and not a version of him that his parents tried so relentlessly to enforce upon him. It was freedom, it was acceptance, it was common ground, it was a place to speak and be heard, it was the kingdom he in thus reigned (in his thoughts and fantasies at least). And it was to place to follow dreams without disapproval. Screw formalities and screw railway track lifestyles, fate had given him a stepping ladder and so upwards and onwards he was going. 

Perhaps if his aristocrat parents hadn’t tried so far to make him conform to their way of life, they might have stood a better chance of restraining him. But Gellert was the type of child that as soon as he could walk, he’d be dancing, as soon as words formed, song followed, try to cage him, he’d be in full flight leaving scorching metal and a blazing trail behind him. They never understood his talents, nor appreciated his virtues and uniqueness. They saw him an heir and heir only. He spent most of his young life being looked after by nannies, some which quit later in a state of terror, others which tried exceedingly hard to reach out to him, but he was a rebellious child, prone to acting out and causing chaos. A psychologist might say this would be a child desperate attempts to be noticed by their parents, perhaps they were right, but it was all too late now. Far too late, a high school expulsion and family disownment too late and Gellert did what any desperate, misunderstood and lonely young teenager would do and that was too seek refugee with the person who did truly care for him and that he in turn had deep and loving respect for. 

~

Gellert was 11 years old when he first met his Aunt Bathilda. His parents had flown him to London to attend some prestigious event, during which they made their obligatory family visit to his aunt. The term ‘obligatory’ being incredibly accurate as neither sister really liked each other very much. Prior to that visit, his contact with her had been simple phone chats each birthday and Christmas and his mother never spoke about his aunt in soft, favourable terms, making her true nature and persona a mystery. Meeting her in person however was a revolutionary experience for him. His aunt from the get-go held him in good light and he to her as well. Unlike his stiff and uncompromising mother, Bathilda had personality and stamina. She was outspoken, modern and had a wicked sense of humour that Gellert took with great delight. Bathilda unlike anyone else around him, had recognised underneath Gellert’s attention deficit, hyperactive personality and wayward streak, an undiscovered and unnurtured genius. Over dinner in some restaurant in London with multiple cutlery and crystal glass wear (which Bathilda promptly scoffed at, earning an amused smile from Gellert), she had begged her sister to give Gellert the attention he needed and to allow him to pursue his various interests, of which music stood out highly. She believed that in having such various needs met (under the correct supervision) and his gifts nurtured, he could grow into something extortionary. Gellert gave her a glowing look, but his mother predictably took no bar of interest in her pleading words, and that return trip home to Vienna for Gellert, was a particularly miserable one. 

However, the spark of hope did continue, as Bathilda from that point on reached out to Gellert more frequently, they would facetime each other often with Bathilda taking interest in everything from Gellert’s reading, assignments at school, his guitar practise (with her encouragement, he’d sneakily brought one with money she’d sent him), alongside his song writing attempts and his love life. Bathilda had from that point onwards also insisted on Gellert visiting her in London at least twice a year, to Gellert’s great happiness. These were the times during the year that Gellert looked most forward to. Bathilda encouraged Gellert ever growing love and passion for music, by taking him to visit instrument and vinyl record shops in Soho. They would then after a long day of shopping (she would also buy him some of the clothes he actually preferred to wear, rather than the ones imposed on him) and visits to museums (Gellert’s love of learning and knowledge held no compromise), they would retire to Bathilda’s modest home in Clapham Common. She would take out her old record player, pour them a cheeky glass of old Cabernet each (“Just one for you” she’d say firmly to a pouting Gellert) and they would sit on her plush sofa, listening to melodies, the rhythm of the guitar and that sweet combination of drum and bass. Gellert would take out his guitar, listen to the tune by ear and attempt the same sound through strumming of cords and plucking of strings. ‘You have a gift’ she would tell him, ‘you better not attend on wasting it’. ‘I won’t Aunty’ he would assure her with genuine promise and a true loving gaze. 

These blissful nights under the starry London sky, were also the nights that their conversations would take a dive into the deep and meaningful. 

“You and me are the same” she said to him in a matter of fact way, “We don’t belong where we’re apparently supposed to, Austrian aristocracy died at the start of last century, but our family, your mother and my mother before her, choose to continue a life of old out dated regiment …. I couldn’t wait to leave” she added sighing, gazing up at the ceiling with her half-finished glass still nursing in her hand. 

“When can I leave?” Gellert asked her eagerly, “I want to come and live here as well!’

“Have to wait till you’re an adult kiddo” she said in reply, “It’s what I did, upon leaving school I applied for every history courses in practically every university in London, my father and mother did not want me to go, but I convinced them that university in England would greater assist my developing knowledge, since London has some of the finest museums in the world. It took a lot of convincing or shall I say manipulating, but eventually they allowed it, believing I’d do my three years, come straight home and settle into the life they wanted. But I tricked them! … getting off the plane at Gatwick - I had no intention of returning home and guess what? I never did. I excelled in all my subjects, graduated with honours three years later, got a job at the British Museum shortly after, 10 years from that I wrote my first historical text and not long after I brought this beautiful home, I am solidary and without family, but I am happy because it’s my life I am living, my dreams I’m following”. 

She sipped her wine and smiled at Gellert.

“Live the life you love Gellert, don’t ever allow yourself to conform to what’s expected of you, you be you and you do what’s right by you, always”

~

Always in Gellert’s memory, this conversation stood out. As too did another conversation they had 6 months later during Gellert Christmas holiday visit. 

“What is your opinion of relationships and love” he asked his aunt, eye’s narrowed inspecting a string of mistletoe she wanted hung up in the doorframe between the kitchen and the lounge room. It was as if the mistletoe had secrets about such topics that it was unwilling to share with him and yet, it was this flower that brought together people under is Birdseye gaze. 

“In what sense of the topic?” Bathilda chimed from the stove top, where she was brewing mulled cider, “You’ll have to be a bit more specific”. 

Gellert scoffed and tossed the mistletoe away, Bathilda scowled at him. 

“Don’t lose that” she said crossly, “It’s the only one I’ve got”. Her disposition softened however when she noticed the sad expression on the face of her nephew who remained sat on the ground with his hands gripping his knees. 

“Hey” she said concerned, turning the stove down and coming to sit down next to the solemn boy, “what’s on your mind boy?”.

Gellert didn’t answer straight away, rather played with the ring on his left index finger (he loved this ring, he found it whilst perusing with his aunt through Camden markets, it was sterling silver with a strange engraving - a triangle with a circle in the middle and a vertical line through, he had no idea what the symbol meant but he liked it anyhow). 

“My mother and father believe that love is between a man and a woman” he said bitterly not making eye contact.

“Your mother and father are narrow minded about a lot a things they don’t understand, but yes go on” she said encouragingly whilst grabbing his hand to stop him fidgeting with his ring. 

Gellert let out an exasperated sigh and turned to finally make eye contact with her. 

“I’ve been visiting here from when I was 11, at first there was that woman, what was her name – Julia?” he asked

“Julie” Bathilda corrected, a dreamy look spreading across her face, Gellert’s lip twitched in amusement. 

“Then at the start of this year, Julie changed to –“his face grimaced as if trying earnestly to remember. 

“Caroline” said Bathilda with a not so dreamy look, “and yeah that one didn’t last too long at all” she added with a huff. 

Gellert laughed weakly in response. 

“Basically, for you, it’s not men and it’s not marriage either, it’s a series of non-committed flings you enjoy” he asked trying to piece together his thoughts. 

“Let’s just say I’m a woman who doesn’t like to be tied down” said Bathilda simply, “That’s not to say I don’t believe in true everlasting love, no more than I believe that love exists only between separate genders, love is like your dreams Gellert, it’s your choice who you choose to love, though …” she added as if caught in an afterthought.

Gellert blinked. 

“Though what?” he inquired.

“Scrap that last bit” Bathilda stated, gesturing her hand as if literally swatting the comment away, “You don’t choose who you love, love chooses it for you” she said smiling cheekily at Gellert. 

“What does that mean” asked the 15-year-old boy in confusion. 

“It means relationships are made on the basis of liking and perhaps falling in love with another person. But you can fall in love spontaneously without needing to be in a relationship. In addition, falling in love is the greatest thing that can happen to a human being and it doesn’t just happen between men and woman, that’s what I mean, here have a cider” she said getting to her feet and making her way over to the stove. 

Gellert watched her busy herself feeling somewhat lighter on the inside. Bathilda scooped warm amber liquid up into two glasses and made her way back over to him. 

“Make sense?” she asked cheerfully. 

“Yes, it does” he said smiling at her

“So who’s the boy?” she then asked smugly sitting back down next to him and offering him his cider. 

Feeling startled and suddenly very naked, all Gellert could do was laugh as he took his drink. 

~

For everyone misfortune, no one more so than Gellert, the boy was in fact a man, and one which Gellert truly had no business pursuing a relationship with. That’s not to say he wasn’t indeed successful, but the discovery and aftermath of this such affair, caused an uproar chain of events. Those of which, eventuated in Gellert arriving back on his aunt’s doorstep in Clapham one year later, tear strained and with bags packed to the rim. 

His aunt simply looked him up and down and with all the warmth his mother never once gave him at any point within his 16-year old life, she said –

“Be yourself and follow your dreams Gellert, but just maybe don’t leave your common sense behind next time”

Gellert laughed bitterly, a laugh which was shortly followed by even more angry tears. His aunt pulled him into her arms at that exact moment. 

“Hush dear boy, dry your eye’s, its broken for now, but we’ll fix it, don’t you worry” she soothed. 

She helped him with his bags and closed the door firmly behind them. 

~

That was 3 years ago. 

From there, Bathilda arranged for him to be home-schooled within his last high school year, feeling it best for Gellert to also remain outside of the school environment for now. And afterwards, with Gellert obtaining exceptional grades, she fought tooth and nail to get him a place within the same university she had over the years come to serve as a board member for. Dismissing his previous expulsion and arguing in favour of Gellert’s virtues, she told the university that Gellert was a genius with a natural aptitude for music, strong determination and vast amount of potential. She managed to get the School of Music and Sound Engineering to audition him for a place in the upcoming calendar year. Thankfully Gellert did what Bathilda knew he would do and blew the room away with an almost perfect rendition of Apache by The Shadows and his place in the course was secured. Gellert deeply loved and owed his aunt everything that contributed to his current state of happiness and bliss he was now in. 

~

But of course, there was another person to also thank. His sassy, overconfident, smartarse, playful and fiercely loyal best friend. The same person whom, lying down on this street bench, in the pleasant sunshine, he was currently waiting on. 

Gellert stopped strumming his guitar for a moment, to check the time on his iPhone, he groaned … 10:15am, they were now officially 15 minutes late for class! Gellert knew that his friend had a hair appointment this morning, so he wasn’t exactly expecting miracles from her, nor was he one to always do things on time himself, but 15 minutes was pushing it even for his standards. Especially since the class, sound mixing and editing, was a class he really needed. They were in the middle of being taught the functions of Adobe Premium and for Gellert, who was strong of the actual creating, writing and playing of music, was less adapt at the software and editing of it. Technology and Gellert had never really seen eye to eye. 

As if right on cue, Gellert heard a voice sounding from next to him.

“Excusez-moi, bel homme, ce seige est-il occupe?”

Before he could protest, she had already found her target and aimed. Gellert let out a groan of shocking pain that was caused by his best friend purposely sitting right on top of his –

“Nope …. non!!! Not cool, not amusing, Geoff!!” he half said, half brutally exhaled. 

The girl giggled and leap back up again. 

“You like it?” she asked pointedly, referring to her now darkened brown hair that had previously been strawberry blonde. 

“Yes actually” he mused, “especially with the red lipstick, it really suits you”

“Merci” she said happily, “Shall we?” she then asked, offering her hand to help pull him up from his lazy street bench slumber. 

He took it and arm in arm the two strutted towards their class (the one they would now be 20 minutes late for). 

~

Gellert's first year in London had been lovely, but quite lonely. Being home-schooled wasn’t a leap of any sorts in the way of making friends. Sure, he had his aunt and her many friends/flings, but he felt shortly before the start of university term, that he had really hit a point in missing the company of those lads and lass’s his own age. On his first day, for someone usually as cocky and confident as him, he was honestly quite nervous. Worried perhaps, that his year of solitude had put his social ability back 2 or 3 steps. This thought however was counteracted, when a beautiful girl with blonde curls (which she had at the time) sat next to him and eyed of his black nails. 

“Those are fabulous” she remarked, “Did you do them yourself?”

“Yes” he lied, (Bathilda did them, his hand shook too much trying to do it himself)

“I’m Vinda” she then said oozing both confidence and ease “and I’m new around here, came from Paris a couple of months ago, perhaps you can help ease me into ze English lifestyle?”

Gellert all but smirked at her 

“I’m Gellert” he said, “I came from Vienna about a year ago, but haven’t been out much, maybe we can attempt to do that together?”

“Parfaite” she agreed.

They discovered over the course of next few months, that not only were they both expatriates from mainland Europe and promising musician’s (Vinda was a fine bass and double bass player; and an engaging vocalist), they were also a match in terms of having cheeky, chaotic and wild personalities. Additionally, they had similar taste in fashion, dressing in clothes that were sharp but unconventional, strong opinions in the way of politics and current laws which they both passionately believed could be made better and each had fluid taste when it came to the selection of possible romantic hook-ups. They were in short, a match made in heaven and a trio made in heaven if you happened to add Aunt Bathilda. The women took a shine to each other immediately, overtime Bathilda had even made attempt to alleviate Vinda from student accommodation by offering her their third bedroom, to which Vinda politely refused. Her reason’s she quoted “that she very much liked the social atmosphere and feeling of community from being in student housing”, Gellert knew what she truly meant was ‘I like spontaneous booze nights and the ability to bring home sexual partners at random without raised eyebrows’.

Now in their second year of university, the two were as reputable as ever. Most everyone knew who they were due to their combined out worldly good looks, flawless fashion and talent on stage. In passing of the first year, Gellert and Vinda though that as a recreational project, they might try their luck in starting a band. So they recruited Xavior, another visa student from Sweden to play keys and Gus, a burly guy from Yorkshire to play drums. From there the band was formed and so too was their very popular group. Everyone knew that sets played by ‘The Deathly Hallows’ (a phrase Gus had come across in some book he read once) were the place to be on a Friday night. Everyone wanted a piece of Gellert and Vinda and Vinda wanted a piece of everyone in return. Gellert however who had eyes for a particular someone was fussier, and kindly shook off all those attempting to win his affection. 

~

They walked into their class like the king and queen emerging onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace. 

“Mr Grindelwald and Ms Rosier, should you wish to remain in my class I suggest cutting the 20 and aiming for at least 5 next time” said their teacher Mr Paige having none of it and not looking up from his computer. 

“Sorry Mr Paige, but do you like my hair?” Vinda asked in a sing song voice. 

“Very Bette Davis, now sit down please” he said in response. 

Vinda blinked, then scowled. 

“I was aiming for Elizabeth Taylor” she whispered furiously to Gellert as they took their seats.


	3. Wanting You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Btw the university they all go to is London South Bank University.

3\. Wanting you. 

Vinda promptly waited another 10 minutes or so; to make sure Mr Paige was fully settled into his teaching and blinded to distraction, before leaning over and whispering into Gellert’s ear. 

“I saw your schatz earlier” she said smirking

Gellert stiffened but did not look up. He did want to give her the satisfaction regarding just how interested he was in any conversation involving his 'schatz'. 

“Costa?” he whispered back in attempt at feigning neutral. 

“Oui, it’s across the road from my hairdressers, he was leaving with that girl he hangs out with” she said twisting a lock of hair in her finger. 

“They go there if they have late starting lectures” confirmed Gellert, his eye’s widening and ears turning red upon realisation what he just said out loud. Naturally, Vinda’s smirk was now bolder than ever. 

“Ah mon cheri, you truly are a disaster” she said teasingly. 

“I’m not, I’m simply a lion that likes to carefully study his prey before leaping” Gellert retorted.

“Lion’s don’t do that when it comes to mating, they just jump right in and fuck” -

“He’s not someone I want to just fuck” -

“Well then what are you waiting for lion? pounce on him and claim him; and do it quickly before he and that girl start banging each other” she replied letting go of the strand that then bounced back up into one of the newly formed ringlets gracing her forehead. 

~

Sometime at the beginning of his first year of university, Gellert had joined his aunt in kitchen early one evening to start dinner preparation. His aunt from speculation, was in rather grumpy mood that afternoon. 

“What’s wrong Aunty?” he asked picking up a carrot and beginning to peel. 

“That woman who moved into the house at the end of the street a few months ago” she said darkly. 

Gellert knew whom she was referring to. Previously an old couple had resided in that house on corner, but since Mr and Mrs Jones had decided upon a nice quiet life out in the country, the house had become vacant and was so for at least 6 months before finally being snatched up by some posh middle age woman and her kids. 

“What about her?” he asked moving on from carrots and grabbing one of the washed potatoes. 

“Well I thought to myself … I’ve been so busy the last few months, that I haven’t yet gotten over there to introduce myself, so I made up a batch of scones and went over, only to have that bitch look at me like I was a feral mouse and say ‘sorry not interested’, then slam the door in my face” she huffed and threw broccoli into the pot boiling on the stove, splashing the tiles behind it with scolding hot water. 

“Easy” said Gellert quickly grabbing a tea towel to wipe off the dregs. 

“Such rudeness” Bathilda complained, “and so unwarranted’. 

“And she refused your scones?” Gellert added flabbergasted. 

“Yep” Bathilda said nodding grimly, “The white chocolate and raspberry ones”

“No?” Gellert gasped

“Oh well” said Bathilda, “It is what it is … though I’ll tell you … something else interesting –“ she added suddenly perplexed

“mmm” murmured Gellert to reassure her he was still listening whilst setting the potatoes to boil. 

“David next door witnessed it happening and then feeling sorry for me invited me for a cup of tea” Bathilda said turning the temperature down on the potato’s Gellert just set. 

“So, there’s no scones left?” Gellert ejected disappointed

“There are four left smartarse, anyway … he told me that she has three kids, two teenage boys that he sees often enough when they leave to go to school and come home, but she also has a younger teenage daughter and the only time he ever sees her is late in the afternoon in their back courtyard, whereby the woman takes the girl by the hand, walks her around in a circle, lets her sit for a bit, then takes her back inside, he says he doesn’t know what to think of it” Bathilda injected thoughtfully. 

“Is she unwell?” Gellert asked finding himself equally as interested

Bathilda shrugged. 

“Must be, or disabled perhaps, but I suppose it’s none of our business, it’s just a very curious thing” she said now chopping up herbs. 

They were quiet for a moment until –

“Aunty?”

“Yep?”

“Can I have a scone?”

“Knock yourself out” she said tartly. 

~

Months flew past and neither Aunt Bathilda nor Gellert gave much further thought to the weird family down the street. It was in the afternoon around 3pm in which Gellert, on one of his class free days was walking up Abbeville Road on his way to Lidl to do the grocery shopping his aunt had asked him to do. Plugged into his iPhone, the Spotify playlist he was listening to had started to play ‘She’s so high’ by Tai Bachman. ‘Interesting and weird choice Spotify’ he thought to himself amused, though having not listened to the song in a long time he let it be. He continued to walk down the road enjoying the sickly-sweet pop track then –

He stopped, blinked, and stared. Coming towards him dressed in the school uniform he knew to be from Lambeth Academy around the corner, was the most exquisite creature he’d ever seen. 

‘She’s so hiiiiiiiighieiiiiii, high above me, she’s so lovely!!’ 

'Yes he is', Gellert agreed mentally, then quickly snapped back into existence. 

Feeling stupid, Gellert switched the track off and looked up at the boy again. The boy hadn’t noticed him and brushed past, walking fast and looking like he contained the whole weight of the world on his shoulders. 

'Interesting' Gellert thought. He wasn’t a vain young man, but he wasn’t one without self-awareness either. He knew he was very good looking. With his shoulder length natural blonde hair, ivory skin, sharp features and unique heterochromia eye’s, he attracted attention from all various ages and genders. He was used to eye’s following him and had a 6th sense for people staring and murmuring about him. It was one of the many things that bonded him and Vinda so well, she with her large pouty lips, puppy dog green eyes, hourglass figure and luscious locks was uniquely beautiful too. So, for a person, particular that of one near age to him to walk past and not even notice him, Gellert could not help but feel an unnerving tick of intense curiously. So, putting aside how wrong and creepy if would be for him to do so, he waited until the boy was a short distance away and began to follow him. 'Does his red hair really illuminate or is just my pure imagination' he mused, following the slender and graceful form down the road and back in the direction of his house. 

"Who are you, and where did you come from?' Intense thoughts and desires clouding Gellert’s mind. This had never happened to him before, yes in his life he’d had lust, lust which had gotten him into a serious lot of trouble, but this … this was different somehow. This was wanting to take this boy away from other prying eyes and hands that could possibly touch him, this was madness. This was Gellert stalking this boy to his house madness! …

Gellert blinked surprised and astonished, the boy had suddenly turned off the road to walk down a street, - his street? He continued to walk down his street and past his own house and then realisation suddenly hit. He was heading to the house at the end of street, he was the son of the batty scone rejector and one of the two teenage boys Aunt Bathilda’s friend David had mentioned. Why had Gellert never seen him before? They lived on the same street! ‘Well at least I know where he lives now’ Gellert thought smugly and turned back round feeling he’d done enough stalking for one day. 

He did know where he lived, but after that day the boy had vanished from Gellert’s life once more, for he had not seen him out on the streets since. He couldn’t exactly go marching down the road to knock on the door, the boy had no idea who he was and to be fair, he didn’t even know the boy’s name. He’d probably have the door slammed on his face even more harshly than his aunt. So bitter and extremely annoyed, Gellert went on with his life, though to Vinda’s concern, he began knocking back hook up’s one after the other. To him every person was a comparison to this this boy, he would feel their strands of hair and dream of auburn locks that curled at the end. He would make eye contact and imagine the same blue crystals, the ones he had noticed the boy had when he came very close to Gellert whilst walking past that day. Every partner was this boy and yet … they were not. 

It was the beginning of the school year, Gellert was running towards the Clapham Common Underground station, cursing himself for oversleeping on his first day back from summer break. He bounded down the ever-ending set of concrete staircases’ and plunged himself into the train closing doors. Panting, he looked around and saw to his relief, there was still a seat vacant. He sat down with a huff and bent down to redo the laces on his Van’s which were coming undone. He observed from this angle in front of him, a pair of black buckled boots that he thought were rather nice. He must have a look around for these on his and Vinda’s next trip to the Westfield shopping centre in White City. Straightening up and staring ahead, his heart leap in his chest. The owner of the buckled boots was no other than the red-haired boy of his 'wet' dreams. Quiet, contemplated and deeply immersed in a book Gellert noticed was titled - The Tales of Beedle the Bard, 'cute' … Gellert mused fondly. The boy broke away from his book to observe the time on the very interesting watch he was wearing, one that was decorated with planets and stars, suddenly he looked very flustered and stressed, 'he must be late for something' Gellert thought. He stopped and considered for the duration of a few stops; multiple ways he could make his presence known. He perused through all of the cheesy pick-up lines he had stored in his brain until the boy abruptly stood up. Gellert blinked, then realised foolishly that this was his stop as well, - this was his stop as well?

He chased after the boy who half power walked; half ran through Elephant & Castle Underground station. Emerging into the daylight, Gellert continued to subconsciously follow him until astounding wonder at last finally hit him. The boy was heading toward Gellert’s university and at that, Gellert realised that the boy must have now graduated from high school and was on his way to his first day of university, - at his university! He followed the boy long enough before watching him disappear into the set of buildings that Gellert knew belonged to the School of Education. 'This is fantastic' he thought beside himself with glee, and he turned to race towards his own class that he was now 10 minutes late for (best not allow 15 minutes late to become a habit), he and this boy were now attending the same university together, getting to know him and seizing his affections from this point onwards should be a synch. 

~

‘Only it hadn’t been’ Gellert thought to himself resentfully 7 months later, as he attempted to listen to Mr Paige’s drawl about different inbuilt software techniques - to assist with the quality of sound on recorded tracks … The boy was hard, he couldn’t be found at average social events all students attended (including his own gigs where he’d hoped to serenade him) and he wasn’t one to linger. He was in his classes, or in secluded sections of the university library conducting private tutoring sessions with various helpless individuals, and then once he was done he was straight back out again and on the train, straight back to that impenetrable fortress of a house with its hideous and frightening dragon protector (his mother). And even when he could be found in other places, he was always with that stand-offish girl. Whereas the boy was still oblivious to him the girl certainty wasn’t, she would look at him with the most unyielding gaze of any person he’d ever known, as if daring him to try and come closer to them. He knew she was protective of him, but why? He thought to himself frustrated. Unlike Vinda with her stupid jokes, Gellert knew the two were not an item, he could read body language and the girl was not attracted to the boy, yet `somehow, she still seemed to feel the need to look over his shoulder for him. Gellert just wished beyond anything that he could get closer and then know, all the secrets she knew. He at least he could gain some satisfaction in the fact that he now at least knew the boy’s name, - Albus ... He had cornered one of Albus’s tutor subjects in the library shortly after one of their sessions, in which he put on one of his sweet and endearing expressions, ones he normally used on Aunt Bathilda to gain her approval and consent whenever he wanted to throw a house party! 

“Hi there” he said to the terrified boy, “Good investment, I’m looking to get some tutoring myself and I hear he’s really good, can you perhaps give me his name and number?” he added sweetly. 

The boy shuddered

“But you’re a music student” he stammered timidly, obviously aware and knowing of Gellert’s status and popularity. 

“Does it matter” Gellert said, in the same ever so falsely sweet tone. 

“No, no …. I guess it doesn’t, his name is Albus Dumbledore and his number is –“

\- 

“Damn!”, Vinda exclaimed loudly after class, generating a few stares, “You have his number”. 

“Prank call him” added Gus, who was munching on Pret a Manger sandwich, “Tell him, you know what he did last summer”

“Tell him you know who he did last summer” sniggered Xavior.

They were sat in the courtyard at a bench, eating their lunches, though Gellert was more picking at his. 

“Its ridiculous, he knows his name, he has his number and literally lives on the same street and yet still hasn’t figured out a way to make a move” said Vinda moving across to also pick at Gellert’s food. 

“I need a subtle approach” said Gellert swatting her hand away. 

“Why don’t you just invite him our next gig?” asked Gus through mouthfuls of chicken, bacon and mayo. 

“The one we don’t even have a venue for yet” said Gellert sarcastically. 

Their usual gig spot had recently become unavailable, with owner coming to the conclusion that the noise complaints, broken glass wear and hordes of late teens who had not yet learnt how to control their booze, was more hassle than what it was worth. 

“Actually” Vinda injected, “there is this place in Brixton I want to check out, the area is right for the vibe we want, its cheap hire and dingy as fuck, it’ll be perfect if negotiations with the manager go right”

“Ah Vinnie, but we know you’ll make them negotiations go right” teased Xavior.

Gellert snorted, Vinda however simply flicked her hair and remained innocently unbashed. 

“They do a student night deal on Thursdays” she said, “Shall we go check it out”.

“A cheap booze night? I'm in” said Gus finishing the last bite of his sandwich. 

Vinda rolled her eyes in response whilst Gellert and Xavior smiled cheekily. The four of them stood, discarded their rubbish and proceeded on to their next class. 

~


	4. The Damn Fine Bartender

4\. The Damn Fine Bartender. 

“I’ve got a job mother” Aberforth announced walking through the door of their home. 

His mother Kendra who was sat at their small kitchen table, looked up from her paperwork. 

“Oh, wonderful darling! this will ease up some of … some of this” she gestured dramatically towards to the unpaid bills she’d been sorting through. 

Aberforth smiled weakly at her. 

“Where’s Ariana?” he asked,

“In her room upstairs, watching something on TV, Love Island or something silly like that” Kendra replied standing up and moving towards the kettle, “Would you like a cup of tea?”

“No I’m good mum, thanks” said Aberforth leaving her be and making his way up their narrow staircase. 

He tapped lightly on his sisters’ doors, before opening the it slightly so he could politely look in. 

“Hey” he said to her softly, “Can I come in?”

Ariana who was sat on her bed hugging her pillow and watching a program on her laptop, looked up and nodded. 

“Of course,” she replied tonelessly. 

Aberforth pushed the door open and gently closed it behind him. 

“What’s on? And please don’t tell me it's ‘Love Island’” he asked making his way over to sit next to her. 

Ariana let out an annoyed huff. 

“I don’t watch Love Island, that would have been the first thing to come to mother’s head, its Home & Away” she corrected. 

Aberforth snorted 

“Not much better, but It’ll make do I guess”.

She gave him a slightly exasperated smile and the two of them sat silence for a bit watching the show together. It was far beyond Aberforth’s comprehension how people who lived in a place that looked so beautiful and peaceful, could still have so much ridiculous drama going on in their lives.

“Albus would be there right now if it wasn’t for –“Ariana began

“Stop” Aberforth said to her firmly, “Don’t start that please, we’ve been through this a million times Ari, nothing that has happened to any of us in the last 2 years is your fault”

Ariana let out a weak whimper and buried her head in her pillow.

“Besides, Albus having real world responsibility in his life, is not necessarily a bad thing for him” Aberforth added darkly. 

“He hates me doesn’t he” she said miserably not meeting his eyes 

“No, he loves you, we all do, please believe that Ari” Aberforth begged of her, “Did you get out onto the front step today?” he then asked. 

“No … I’m sorry Aberforth, I really am trying” she almost practically wailed. 

“Hey Hey!” he ushered pulling her into a hug, “It’s ok, you do things in your own pace ok, its fine” he said in attempts to soothe her. 

“But it isn’t” she said now starting to cry 

And all Aberforth could say and do at this point was to hold his broken sister in his arms and continue reassuring her that it would all be ok, it’s all he could ever say or do anymore and it was killing him. 

~

Two days rolled past, then the night he was due to start his first ever shift at ‘Prince of Wales’ came. He rode his bike over to the neighbouring district Brixton feeling somewhat tense. ‘Ease up’ he told himself, it’s just a stupid pub full of stupid drinkers, at least it’s not selling clothes to teenyboppers and tourists on Oxford Street, he shuddered at the thought. However, upon arriving at the front of the venue and securing his bike to the public provided racks, it turns out he had every right to be feeling a bit perturbed. There was a sign that stood up on the pavement outside the front entrance that read -

‘Thursday Night – Student Night!’  
“Two for one on House Beer, Wine’s and Basic Spirits’  
‘Please show Proof of Age Card and Student ID at bar.

‘Great’ he thought to himself grumpily, so much for a peaceful night of learning the ropes. Taking a deep reluctant sigh, he walked over and pushed the entrance door open. During the day when he dropped off his resume, the place was deserted. Sunlight shone through the windows reflecting particles of dust in the air making the place seem almost eerie. Now at 6pm, with already a few patrons inside, the atmosphere was much livelier. Fairy lights decorated the lining of the bar, whilst neon ones lit up the shelves containing the top and premium bottles behind it. 

“Ah Aberforth” called a woman from behind the bar whom he recognised, as she had been on shift the day he was last in. 

Nodding politely, he made his way over. 

“I’m Rosmerta, you’ll be training with me tonight, I’m one of the Duty Managers here, there’s the Venue Manager who you met earlier this week, then three Duty Managers, the other two are Tom and Stan, we supervise in shifts, your one of 7 part timers” she said this all very fast. 

“Nice to meet you” he said civilly. 

“Come round ere” she said encouraging, motioning for him to come around to her side of the bar, “then I can show you the fine art of pint pouring”.

“Awesome” he said dully

She smiled at him in amusement. 

“Nerves? Ah don’t worry lad, you’ll be running circles round me in no time, trust me on that” she said cheerfully.

He didn’t.

“Anyhoo these taps” she said pointing out the ones directly in front Aberforth, “Are mainly your lagers, these ones over ere – couple of ales, then cider, then stout, and …. Yes lovely?” she said snapping her attention to the young woman who had just walked up to the bar. 

~ 

Vinda stood at the bar opposite a cheerful woman and a boy who was …. ‘my god…’ she thought, suddenly feeling very flushed. 

~

“Ah hello” the girl said putting on what Aberforth could tell from speculation, was her most feigned charming expression. “I spoke with the manger over the phone a few days ago about my band doing some upcoming gigs here, he was quite enthusiastic since he’d heard about us through one of your regulars; - our sound engineering teacher Mr Paige, so myself and my ‘comrades in arms’ decided to pop in tonight to check the place out, I’m Vinda Rosier” he then added smiling sweetly.

“Lovely to meet you darl” said Rosmerta beaming back, “Yes I eard about this, all very exciting indeed, unfortunately the venue manager isn’t in tonight for you to meet him in person, but I’ll definitely pass on word to him tomorrow, provided by the end of the night, you and the gentleman decide you like the place and think it’s suitable, Mr Bell will probably want to listen to you play first however for … you know … assurance and stuff” she added, chuckling merrily to herself, making Aberforth feel extremely awkward. 

To the girl’s credit though, she continued to smile graciously and did not at once break the charmed persona she was putting on. Aberforth had strong suspicion she’d used it more than once in life to get something she wanted.

“Very understandable, I look forward to blowing him away” she said confidently (Aberforth cringed), “As for the place, it is parfaite! so far from what we’ve seen, we were just upstairs checking out your terrace which is gorgeous and will be good for our audience to take breaths in between sets, though my drummer is very eager to give your beer a go before he formulates his overall opinion, his mind works in partnership with his stomach you see?

Rosmerta laughed her over the top laugh once again, earning yet another uncomfortable frown from Aberforth. 

“As do many men’s, what would you like hun?” she asked.

“House red for me and my bestie, house lager for the drummer and vodka tonic for the man on key’s” she chirped. 

“Consider it done” said Rosmerta with great enthusiasm, “Right Aberforth you're up” she said motioning to the stiff boy next to her. “Wine glasses are under that shelf, reds on top, ‘Yellow Tail Merlot’ is the house one, pour it to where the line is indicated on the glass, easy peasy”. 

Aberforth did as he was directed all the while feeling the girls intense gaze pouring into his back. He placed the glasses in front of her whilst Rosmerta busied herself with preparation of the other two drinks, the girl smirked and winked at him. Feeling slightly wary, he avoided her gaze to instead look down at his feet. 

“That’ll be 12-pound love” said Rosmerta returning with the other two drinks, “Do you need a tray?”

“Non” said the girl handing Aberforth a 20-pound note, “I have an able assistant … Gellert!” she called to a tall blonde boy sitting with two other young men at the table in the far corner. 

Aberforth’s insides froze, ‘oh for fucks sakes ... not him!’ he thought desperately to himself. 

“Come and help with these” she commanded.

With a melodramatic huff, the boy rose and shuffled over. If Aberforth was stiff before, he was no more bendable than a totem pole when the boy approached the bar (easy to say, his facial expression by this point might have mirrored one too). 

“Last time she tried to use a tray, the drinks turned into birds and flew away, all the way away onto some poor old dear’s dress” said Gellert cheekily

“Best be cautious then” said Rosmerta cheerfully, handing the girl her change. 

Grabbing the two reds, the boy strutted away whilst the girl politely thanked Rosmerta and with a final suggestive glance at Aberforth, skipped off to join him. 

Then Aberforth at last let out the breath he had been holding, earning a concerned look from Rosmerta. 

‘Well of course he wouldn’t have recognised me’ Aberforth thought loftily to himself. 

~

Because the boy in Aberforth’s very clear opposed memory, had been absolutely train wrecked when the two of them had made their first not so pleasant acquaintance. 

Sometime a few months ago, his mother had left for the weekend to Wrexham County Borough in North Wales for a visit to their father’s prison. As these trips were always distressing, she had insisted that her golden child accompany her, leaving Aberforth on his own to care for Ariana. This alone should have been foundation for a highly pleasant weekend, his mum and Albus gone and just the two of them alone, to watch tv until late hours of night, eat ice-cream and hey! Maybe Ariana might just forget about her demons for a blissful few hours. 

Whilst preparing dinner, he hadn’t helped but notice through the window a few stray teens around his age, walking down the street, laughing and carrying on at the top of their lungs. Annoying but harmless, he continued the meal prep, until eventually, more teens merged one after the other and loud noise began to emit from somewhere down the street. Irritated, he walked out onto the front steps and realised the noise was music coming from one of the middle houses. For the rest of the night, he did his best to ignore it, watched a couple of Disney movies with Ariana then bid her good night, when she claimed to be too tired to stay up any longer. So still with still a couple of hours left of wakefulness in him, Aberforth grabbed from his toolbox under the kitchen sink, a small screwdriver and the door handle that had come out of boiler closet upstairs that he’d been working to try and fix. He sat down on the kitchen table and begun working, noticing with increased irritation that the noise down the street had been steadily getting louder. Eventually an hour or so later, Ariana had come shuffling back down the stairs looking worn and Aberforth head perked up in alarm. 

“What’s up Ari” he asked concerned. 

“Nothing” said Ariana glumly, “Just the noise down the street, it’s making it hard to sleep” she added yawning and moved to the kitchen sink to pour herself a glass of water. 

At that, Aberforth’s fuse blew and he roughly put down the handle and his screwdriver and made violently towards the front door.

“Aberforth!” Ariana had begun to protest, but too late, Aberforth closed the door loudly behind him and made his way, marching down the street. 

From his viewpoint, the house was lit up and full to the brim with university students. Some standing out the front smoking cigarettes and chatting loudly, others chilling on the front steps with red Dixie cups or loitering in and out through the wide-open front door. Fuming, he brushed past the those on the steps earning a few amused and curious glances, then proceeded down the hallway and into the kitchen where a skinny black-haired guy stood bobbing his head up and down to the music, whilst mixing spirits and Fanta Orange into a large punch bowl. 

“Who’s the owner here?” Aberforth asked him loudly over the music. 

“You wann-ing a puff?” the guy slurred in his foreign accent, removing from behind his ear, a rolled up joint.

Aberforth looked at it, then at him in disgust. 

“No! I’m asking who the person is who lives here” he snapped. 

The boy looked taken back for a few seconds, then sniggered. 

“Chill out mate, here’s right out there” he said pointing in the direction of the courtyard, where sat on a garden bench and smoking another joint, was a shirtless tattooed blonde guy that Aberforth did not like the look of one bit.

He stormed outside regardless and stood over the boy who looked up at him with a dazed expression. 

“Look buddy” Aberforth snarled at him, “you either need to turn the volume right down or start wrapping this up” 

“Who the fuck are you?” the boy retorted, a bemused expression on his face, his eyes were also incredibly bloodshot, - he was clearly stoned. 

“I’m a guy who lives down the street, and your noise is keeping my sister awake” Aberforth snapped in reply. 

The guy continued to gaze up at him with stoned amusement, then grinned smugly. Aberforth fumed, he’d met some right wankers in private school, but this guy was defiantly climbing his way to the top of being one of the most conceited twats he’d ever come across, if his hairstyle, faux leather pants and lace up boots hadn’t already said enough. 

“It’s a Friday night” he said simply, taking another drag of his joint. 

“So, what!” said Aberforth hotly, “Its nearing midnight and this is a built-up commercial area, you cannot be this selfish”

“You need to cool down” said the boy firmly, his eye’s narrowing. 

Then as if right on cue, Aberforth felt a torrent of cold-water splash over him. He turned around violently to see the guy from the kitchen and another beefier looking guy, back up both bursting with drunk laughter. 

The boy began laughing himself, then moved to stand so he was facing Aberforth shoulder to shoulder. He was the same height as Aberforth but gave off the air of someone who when provoked, could turn dangerous and spiteful. 

The boy took another drag, looked Aberforth up and down and smiled sassily. 

“Move along dear boy” he said in a kind serene voice, that his facial expression conveyed anything but. 

Aberforth’s shoulder’s tensed, as bile rose to his throat. He would have given anything to punch the boy’s smug smile right off his stupid face then and there, but still feeling the presence of the other two men (Gus and Xavior) behind him and the further ravelling of other party goers coming to inspect the scene, he knew himself to be both drenched and outnumbered. 

So, with one last furious gaze, he turned around and stormed out the house, earning laughter and cheers in his wake. 

~

“Ah don’t worry about it lad” said his next-door neighbour David the following morning. They were out in their respective courtyards, David stood watering his garden with a hose, while Aberforth, on his knee’s weeding his. “if it makes you feel any better, the bucket they used to chuck water on you, is also the bucket Bathilda used to chuck some on him when she found him passed out by the front steps, I saw it walking past on my way home from getting milk, shocked him real good!” he added sniggering, - “he’s a right handful that one”.

“Where was she then?” Aberforth asked furiously pulling a particularly nasty fern from its roots out of the soil and sending disturbed insects scurrying about. 

“Dunno” said David casually, “Out with one of her girlfriends I expect”.

Aberforth snarled and chucked the weed into the barrel that was slowly piling up. 

“That guy is a menace” he said savagely. 

“No, he’s not” said David turning and looking sternly at him, “He’s just a kid having fun, something you and that well-mannered brother of yours need to try out every once in a while”. 

Aberforth said nothing as he continued to send handfuls of weeds with their insect inhabitants and all, flying into his barrel. 

~

The night at the ‘Prince of Wales’ went on and Aberforth found to his relief, that bar work was as easy as he expected it to be and the night was nowhere as busy as he initially thought it would be. With Rosmerta happily engaged in brisling conversation with some older patron’s, Aberforth bored, walked around from behind the bar and begun collecting empty glasses from the various tables, coming close to the corner table, whose occupants he was determined to ignore. 

~

Gus and Xavior had moved to another room to play pool, leaving Gellert and Vinda on their own, three glasses down and happily tipsy. 

“hmm” Vinda murmured with a dreamy expression on her face, cheeks rosy red from the cheap wine they’d been consuming, “that is one damn fine bartender” she stated, gazing in the direction of the boy who was collecting glasses from a nearby table. 

Gellert looked at him, then looked at her with blunt disdain embedded on his face. 

“You’re kidding right?”

“Non” she confirmed, staring the boy up and down, “broad shoulder’s … strong arms … nice eye’s …” she said in tone of voice, very similar to Gus listing off his favourite ingredients to his perfect sandwich. 

Gellert scoffed. 

Vinda turned to him with teasing expression. 

“Ah but you like skinny red-haired boys, least my taste is more robust” she stated in a way of challenging him

“I like people who look like angels” said Gellert meekly, taking the last sip from his now empty wine glass, “not ones who walk around looking like their underwear is stuck halfway up their arse crack”. 

“He looks like the kind of guy who takes shit from no one” said Vinda fondly, “I like him”

“Well than let me do the obligatory best friend thing and suss him out for you” said Gellert sweetly, grabbing his and her empty glass from the table and returning to the bar. 

~

Aberforth watched him go and looked desperately over at Rosmerta, who unfortunately was still too heavily deep in conversation with other patrons that she had not noticed him approach. 

Swearing under his breath, Aberforth placed the empty glasses in the clearing section and moved back round behind the bar. 

“Yep?” he asked gruffly to the smiling blonde boy. 

“Two more please” said the boy pleasantly motioning towards his empty wine glasses. So Aberforth, chucking down his cloth in annoyance, proceeded to pour another two glasses of the thick, strong smelling red liquid. The guy watched him with interest and the two met each other’s gaze when Aberforth finally turned back round with the two drinks. 

“6-pound” he said stiffly to the boy who made no move to give him any money. 

Instead he continued to smile at him in a curious manner, 

“Have we met before?” he asked tilting his head slightly in a way that indicated he was trying to remember something vaguely unimportant. 

Aberforth glared at him

“Yes, you’re the guy down the street with the bum tattoo” he said airily.

“What?”

“Never mind” Aberforth snapped, “Have you got any coin’s, our till is running low?”.

The boy blinked and gave him six 1-pound coins (how on earth does this bizarre, cranky bartender know he has a bum tattoo?).

“Your friends in the next room also poured cold water over me at your house party a few months ago if that’s another indication” said Aberforth sardonically putting the coins in the till

The boy stood and thought for a moment, then by all accounts it must have finally hit him, as he smirked widely making Aberforth’s blood boil. 

“Ah yes …” he said brightly, “sorry about that” 

“No, you’re not” snapped Aberforth.

“No, I’m not” the boy agreed with a laugh, “If you’d been more polite, I would have allowed you to stay and join us, it was a good party”

“I was looking after my sister, remember me telling you that” Aberforth retorted. 

“Oh and you should know” the boy continued, clearly having missed what Aberforth said, “My friend thinks you have broad shoulders … and strong arms … and – “ 

“Tell her I’m not interested” said Aberforth shortly, grabbing a cloth to wipe down bits of wine he noticed had spilt onto the bar surface from previous order. 

“Why?” he asked frowning. 

“She’s not my type” said Aberforth, now rinsing the cloth under the small sink. 

“How on earth do you know, you don’t even know her?” said the boy incredulously, defending his best friend. 

“I know her friends well enough for now I think” Aberforth snarled staring up at him. 

The two stood there glaring at each other, cold blue eye’s meeting demonic heterochromic ones.

Suddenly the boy stopped glaring and began smirking once more. 

“Are you planning on being a bartender long term? because you’re rather rude” he asked conversationally - “Maybe a job that doesn’t involve too much customer service”. 

“I’ll work here as long as my family needs the money” Aberforth retorted. 

“What was the other thing my friend said you had” the boy continued on sweetly, (he was definitely enjoying antagonising this bartender) “nice …“ –

The boy’s eyes again met Aberforth’s again, only this time they widened suddenly, as if coming upon some sudden realisation of something. 

Aberforth stood dumfounded and confused at the boy’s sudden change in demeanour. 

“What?” he asked suspiciously

“Your eyes are very unique” said the boy startled, - “and I’ve seen them before somewhere …” 

Aberforth continued to gaze at the boy suspiciously for a bit, then losing interest, he looked away and began once again wiping down the sticky surface of the bar. 

“Everyone in my family has these eye’s” he said tonelessly, “same hair too, except for my brother who has red hair”

He busied himself wiping the down the bar and the beer taps, then having noticed the boy had still not returned to his table, he looked up at him with rising irritation that recoiled upon seeing his facial expression. 

The boy was staring at him intensely with a great, newfound interest, - a very unyielding and unsettling interest that made Aberforth stomach turn. 

“Is there anything else I can help you with” he asked trying to keep the slight bit of intimidation he had, out of his voice. 

The boy smiled wickedly at him. 

“I think I have a favour to ask of you” he said very seriously.

Aberforth stood there and gulped.

There was nowhere to run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry fellow fem's, Vinda is a verbal manipulator only. 
> 
> also, anyone missing Albus?
> 
> Him and Minerva are back next chapter <3


	5. Blackmail and Bum Tattoo's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We all love 'Manipulative Gellert' and 'Gay Disaster Albus' - so here they are!

5\. Blackmail and Bum Tattoo’s. 

“Break Aberforth” Rosmerta boomed suddenly making Aberforth jump, “30 minutes, workers are allowed a tea or coffee, or soft drink during their break. if you like?”

“May I ask?” said Gellert pleasantly to her, “Is Aberforth here likely to be working when my band plays potentially next Friday night?”

“Oh yes indeed” she said briskly, “Everyone works Friday night, it’s the busiest time of the week”, she added winking at Aberforth who flinched in response. 

“Then we should get to know each other a bit more for friendly business purposes” said Gellert to Aberforth pointedly, “If staff are allowed to sit out on the floor of course?” he then added politely to Rosmerta

“Absolutely” she said, clearly not picking up on any underlying deception in his tone, “here Aberforth” she said picking up the soft drink fountain gun to kindly pour him a glass, “Which one do you want?”

“No, I’ll just have water thanks” said Aberforth stiffly, grabbing a glass and pouring his own drink

“Right you are” she said unfazed and walked off to serve a giggly couple that had just walked up to the other side of the bar counter. 

Aberforth turned his attention back to Gellert.  


You’re not going to give me an ultimatum, are you?”

“You don’t want to be rude to the new live music guests in front of your supervisor, do you?” said Gellert sweetly

“Can I at least go to the bathroom first?” Aberforth snapped

“Suit yourself” Gellert replied smugly.

With one last foreboding look in his direction, Aberforth headed off to the male bathroom, while Gellert smirking, reached over the bar for a drink tray and expertly carried the drinks over to his and Vinda’s table, where his friend sat giving him a deep questioning look. 

“What in the world was all that about?” she asked him bewildered

“hmmm” Gellert hummed contently handing her one of the wine glasses, “your eye candy has suddenly become very interesting”

Vinda blinked, her eye’s narrowing.= 

“- as in what way?” she prodded 

“As in I’ve just found someone’s brother” said Gellert happily, sitting down and taking a strong swig from his glass. 

Vinda looked at the door to the male stall’s and then back at Gellert a couple of times, until it suddenly clicked and her eye’s widened. 

“No?”

“Yes” said Gellert smirking wider than ever, “Would you mind giving us a couple of minutes?” he then asked her meaningfully. 

She smirked herself and then got up, grabbing her glass of wine to go with her. 

“I was wrong about what I said earlier in the week mon cherie” she said amused, “you’re not a disaster … you are a cunning, astounding, unbelievable disaster … and an arse, you better get something of his for me at least” she added before turning to walk off

“Oh, and Mein Liebe?” he called after her as she headed off to the other room to join Gus and Xavior, “You were apparently wrong about something else too, it appears our taste in men really isn’t that dissimilar after all”

“Fuck you” she called heartedly back over her shoulder as he sat there grinning. 

~

Aberforth returned to their table shortly after and sat opposite Gellert with his legs and arms crossed. 

“What do you want?” he said curtly to Gellert who sat there smiling sincerely at him – “and what within that thick arrogant head of yours makes you believe I am willing to do any favours for you” he added. 

“Why indeed?” said Gellert considerately whilst grabbing his glass to take another swig, “Interesting topic of conversation and a reasonable one to start with” he added, eyes narrowing and giving Aberforth an evil smile behind his glass. 

Aberforth lip twitched, ‘keep calm’ he thought furiously to himself closing his eye’s ‘keep … calm …’. 

“How about the fact that I know you served a bunch of under-agers in here earlier tonight” said Gellert putting his glass back down. 

Aberforth’s eye’s snapped back open. 

“I did not” he spat defensively at Gellert, who did not flinch and continuing gazing at him with a self-satisfied expression, “I’ve been checking ID’s and student cards all night”

“Yes” said Gellert in his sweet voice again, “but I’ve been watching you and I observed from my seat over here, that the group that was in around 7:15pm all had fake ID cards, I know because my friend Xavior used to have the exact same type, produced by a man on Vauxhall Bridge Road”.

“You’re bluffing” said Aberforth snidely to him

“Do I look like the type to do such a thing” Gellert asked innocently, “too bad they’ve all left now, you can’t catch them!’

Aberforth slumped back into his chair with deep frustration, hating Gellert.

“Even if you aren’t lying, so what? It’s my first night, it was a mistake and it’s just as much the securities responsibility as it is mine, they won’t fire me over it” he said

“Are you sure?” said Gellert vindictively, “As far as I’m aware. laws against serving alcohol to minors is a very serious offence in this country, and that the premise in which it occurs in can get fined a lot of money - if discovered, surely your manager wants to know he has hired someone he can steadily rely upon?”

The two sat in stony silence for few seconds as Aberforth glared at Gellert with shocking intensity, whilst Gellert unconcerned made for another sip of his drink. 

“What do you want?” Aberforth repeated in an almost deadly whisper

Gellert placed his glass down on the table again.

“I want you to bring someone to work with you on the night of our gig next week” he said seriously, looking now rather intently at Aberforth. 

Aberforth stared at him for a few confusing seconds, until both realisation and dismay washed over him like the same cursed bucket of water from a few months back. He groaned deeply and slumped forward, resting his elbows on table, hands supporting his head as if suddenly suffering the most horrendous of headaches. 

“You’re after my brother” he confirmed bitterly, running his fingers through his shaggy hair and gazing back up at Gellert. 

“You catch on quick” said Gellert genuinely surprised

“Well this isn’t exactly the first time this has happened to me” Aberforth snapped in reply

“Really?” said Gellert his expression darkening, - something which did not go unnoticed by Aberforth. 

“Oh don’t worry” he said sarcastically, sitting back up again “you’re the first person to actually blackmail me over it, so at this rate you may or may not have a better chance at success, since everyone else so far has just gotten thumped on the head and been told to shove off by yours truly”

“Protective, are you?” said Gellert amused, which Aberforth promptly scoffed at.

“Not in the slightest” said Aberforth (though a small part of him knew that wasn’t entirely true), “Just intolerant to idiots, of which my brother’s admirers make up a huge bulk of”. 

“I’ve noticed that you’re an intolerant person yes” said Gellert loftily

Aberforth glared at him again, then sighing once more took a large gulp of his untouched water. 

“So, in order for you to not get me fired, which will be incredibly inconvenient to myself and my family, you want me to whore out my own brother to you at your next gig” he confirmed sarcastically to Gellert. 

“Well that’s a very ill-mannered way of putting it” said Gellert with raised eyebrows, “I actually wouldn't mind getting to know your brother on a deep and personal level as well”

“I bet you wouldn’t” said Aberforth snidely, “He’s as self centred and arrogant as you are, you’ll be a match made in heaven”

“So, we have a deal?” said Gellert decisively, in a way of rounding things up. 

Aberforth with great reluctance nodded his head. 

“Great” said Gellert merrily, “- and just so we’re on first name basis, my name is Gellert”

“Aberforth” said the other boy bitterly, “anything else?”

“Your number for my friend” said Gellert sweetly producing from his pocket, a tiny note pad and pen (which he used to write song lyrics at times of inspiration)

“I told you, I’m not interested in dating her or anyone” Aberforth protested. 

“That’s fantastic because she isn’t interested in dating either” said Gellert in a cheerful voice.

Aberforth frowned (his cheeks going uncharacteristically pink) then reluctantly grabbed the paper and wrote down his number.

“Oh, and one more thing …” said Gellert grabbing the paper and suddenly frowning himself, “How do you know I have a bum tattoo?” he asked perplexed. 

Aberforth didn’t answer, instead he stood grabbing his water glass and made off back towards the direction of the bar

“Seriously?” Gellert called after to him, to which Aberforth simply responded with a back handed flip off. 

Then suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, Vinda appeared and jumped right into his now vacant seat”

“Merci!” she sang, snatching the piece of paper out of Gellert’s fingers. 

~

It happened a week or so after the party he threw to celebrate - ‘Return To 2nd Year Study!’ (any excuse). Gellert who had been up late, writing a new song for The Deathly Hallows, finally decided it call it a night sometime around 11pm. He put down his guitar, yawned and proceeded to take a shower in the hallway bathroom. He remerged from it a good 20 minutes or so later wrapped in a loosely strung towel. He briefly looked out the window of his second storey bedroom and onto the street below. It was deserted from what he could see and the solar lights from the street-lamps were slowly beginning to fade as the night wore on. He then turned his back to it whilst grabbing a comb from his dresser to quickly run through his hair. The towel was indeed loosely tied, as it unravelled, then dropped to the floor. Though he was well aware that his whole bare backside was facing out the window, Gellert ignored it. Being the natural chauvinistic he was, he didn’t care too much about creating a display, and besides … residing within the homes along this street (that was deserted last he looked) were mostly older aged pensioners who would have well and truly gone to bed by now. So, smiling contently to himself, he left the towel on the floor and carried on. 

Only he was wrong … the street wasn’t deserted; and from the pavement on the opposite side of the road, a pair twinkling blue eyes, brighter than the dulling streetlights and belonging to slender boy with red hair, saw everything! 

~

“Hello” said Albus graciously to the kiosk tender, “Can I get a small English Breakfast tea please?”. 

The Asian looking woman nodded her head, then disappeared vaguely behind the steam erupting from her espresso machine, Albus watched her intently at first, then relaxed upon seeing her put the water and bag in the takeaway cup before the milk (tea has a method best followed correctly). 

“2 pound please’ the lady said handing him the cup

“Thank you very much” he said handing her the amount in coins. 

He then moved over to the small bench containing various sweeteners and added 2 white sugars that he stirred in using one of the provided popsicle sticks (before looking around self-consciously and determined that no one was watching, sneakily added 3 more). 

From here he began to hastily make his way towards the university. Taking a sip of his tea, he cringed slightly at the preserved taste. However, it would have to make do, because in having the start of the week lecture beginning at 8am, he had no time to run to Costa where proper tea leaves were actually brewed. 

Reaching his destination, he clambered up the concrete staircase two steps at a time, arriving hardly puffed on the third-floor corridor that held the lecture hall he was needing. Outside the door to the hall gathered a group of chatty students and predictably, his friend Minerva on her own a short distance away, sitting cross legged on the floor, back to the wall reading a thick hard covered book. Smiling weakly, Albus walked over to sit by her. 

She gave him a warm welcoming smile and continued to read, an enthralling book no doubt. Albus gently pulled down the broken zip on the front pocket of his bag and reached within it to pull out a bag of sweets. 

“Sherbet Lemons, would you like one” he offered to Minerva

“No thank you” she replied (feeling 7:50am was hardly the appropriate time or moment for sherbet lemons)

“Suit yourself” said Albus popping two in his mouth at once. 

The two sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, Minerva in non-fiction literature heaven, Albus in sweet lemony sugar heaven. 

“What are you reading?” he finally asked her, whilst chewing away at the remaining bit of candy in his mouth. 

Minerva didn’t answer verbally, but rather tilted the book cover so to show him the title. 

HISTORY IS MAGIC!

By

Bathilda Bagshot

“Oh … I’ve read this” said Albus delighted and moved closer. 

“Of course, you have” said Minerva in an almost attempt at playfulness, “It’s a truly is a rather engaging read’ she added enthusiastically

“I like how she mixes in fact with legend and folklore” said Albus eagerly 

“- and puts her intelligent perspective onto age old theories” added Minerva happily. 

They were like that for a small amount of time, discussing and debating the contents of Minerva’s book until a hysterical laugh from down the corridor distracted them. There a short distance away was a tall blonde guy dressed in a black, with his short sleeves showing off his arm tattoo’s and a pretty girl with short length dark brown hair and red lipstick and whom was dressed in a flashy emerald green dress and high heeled boots. They seemed to be putting up posters along the wall which were advertising something. 

“I really can’t stand those two” said Minerva crossly, “They truly think highly of themselves, don’t they? and they’re in the out of bounds section of the corridor, that Mr Thomason says is closed off due to tiling”

Her irritable demeanour wasn’t shared by Albus however, who instead went scarlet and turned his attention away shyly. 

The blonde boy then bounded up another staircase, whilst the girl floated in their direction. 

“We’re back” she announced to the crowd outside the lecture hall holding up one of her posters to show them (advertisement for a live music event, - hers) “The Deathly Hallows have a new venue, first gig this Friday night” she said gleefully. 

A few people cheered lightly, whilst others began murmuring amongst themselves, all seeming somewhat excited. 

“Hi” the girl said pleasantly to Albus and Minerva walking by them to put up another poster a couple of metres away from where they were sat, “are you two going to come?” 

Albus taken back said nothing, Minerva however gave her a curious look before returning to her book. 

“I should hardly think so” she said flatly, “please take no offence, but I’m not sure if your concerts are really my scene”

“Well theory is nothing without experiment, so you should come to one of my ‘gigs’ and see” said the girl fiddling with a piece of double-sided sticky tape, “Can’t knock back what you haven’t tried, life’s too short for that and it’ll be a good night to let your hair down” she added winking.

Minerva stiffened, a look of strong disapproval crossing her face, she usually wore her hair in a tight bun and never let it down in any sense, both physically and figuratively. 

The girl finally having success with the tape, stuck up the last corner of her poster than turned and smiled genuinely in Minerva’s direction. 

“It’ll look really nice down” she said kindly “and it'll go nicely with that sweet tartan skirt you're wearing, very post punk!” she added as a compliment. 

Minerva looked at her coldly, while Albus feeling the dread of what was coming, sunk mentally into the wall behind them. 

“This is the tartan of my ancestral clan” she said with ice in her voice, “it’s been passed through my family for generations”.

If there was any sentiment in Minerva’s comment or malice in her voice, both flew completely over the girl’s head. 

“Vintage” she exclaimed happily, “We should go shopping in Brick Lane together one day, I’m Vinda by the way, if you both do come – and please do! look out for me, I’m the one of the vocalists, so I won’t be too hard to find, aka hear”

And with one last smile and flick of her hair, she proceeded back down the hallway and up the same stairs her blonde friend had previously disappeared up. 

Her departure was broken by a derisive snort from Minerva

“Honestly!” she huffed returning to her book.

“Hmmm” Albus murmured lamely in response, his thoughts having already returned to blonde shoulder length hair, leather clad legs and tattoo’s in both visible and inconspicuous places.

~

Sometime ago within the previous year, Albus was hurriedly making his way home from school. In his normal routine, he’d be in the school library between 3pm and 5:30pm conducting tutoring sessions. On this particular day however, his mum had called him frantically to come home, being Ariana’s was very upset over something and with Aberforth in detention for yet another physical fight at school, she needed his support. 

So, he rushed around the corner from his school street and down Abbeville road towards his home. Though stressed and dreading what he could be returning home to, his attention was not too high strung to not notice out the corner of his eye, a tall blonde guy with earphones stopping to stare at him. From his limited perspective he could see that the boy was very good looking, no scrap that … the boy was hot! In response to his sudden inner turbulence, Albus rushed past frantically, hoping he’d made it fast enough for the boy to have not noticed the red colour rising in his cheeks. 

The next he saw him, was the exact next day, at almost exactly the same spot. From that day he had begun to hitch rides to school from his mother (“I insist Albus, it’s on my way to where my new job is”) and he had observed from the car window, the same boy buying cigarettes from one of the many 24 hour off license convenience stores along the road. From the safety of his mother’s tinted window, he could now really observe the young man in all his 6ft2 fine glory. ‘He really is very attractive’ Albus thought elusively to himself, his heart taking on a new rhythm, as though it had just learnt to tap dance. Suddenly the car reeved forward and startled, Albus turned back in his seat and cleared his throat embarrassed. His mother raised her eyebrows at him but said nothing as he sat twiddling his fingers feeling rather flushed. 

He didn’t see the boy again however for some time, until one night only a few months ago, Albus was on his way home from a tutoring session at his client’s residence that ran vastly overtime. The parents of this girl had been insistent on him staying for dinner, which was followed by dessert, then brandy, then suggestions of coffee? until Albus absolutely insisted that he had to be heading home (also coming to the conclusion that the eager girl’s parents had an ulterior motive in the event). Shivering, he made his way up his cold street, the lamplights overhead already beginning to dull as it was getting quite late. Suddenly something caught his attention that made him immediately stop and stay rooted to the spot. The blonde boy he been long fantasising about, was within the top storey window of one of the street’s middle houses that was lit up, or at least his very toned back was. Albus knew, by his appearances on Abbeville Road, that he must have lived in area, but he had no idea up until now that they lived on the exact same street! He knew he shouldn’t be standing here staring, but far too perplexed and far too fascinated (a fascination that his chest and groin were both simultaneously reacting to) he really couldn’t help himself, - he was in word, a ‘goner’. Then something happened that made his heart leap violently, in combination of shock and something else formidable. The boy’s towel, that had been previously wrapped around his torso had come undone and fallen, giving off one magnificent view! However, it was also enough to snap him back into his senses as face burning, he put one foot in front of the other and moved along in the fast direction towards his home. 

~

Aberforth had been up late that night, in the middle of a wood carving project. Every so often he would glance at the clock on the wall, and within these instances a combination of fury and discomfort would develop since Albus was still not home yet. ‘It’s alright Albus’ he thought bitterly to himself ‘Mum and I dealt with poor Ariana on our own yet again, no need for any help from you, you just keep spending your nights staying out late at the library or people’s houses, no text messages, worrying mum sick and …’

Aberforth’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the person in question himself came half walking, half tripping through the front door. Aberforth who had been previously ready to give him a handful relented in wake of seeing Albus’ current physical state. It was a freezing cold winter’s night, yet somehow Albus’s had managed to show up looking like he’d just returned from a casual stroll through the Sahara Desert. 

“What’s up with you?” Aberforth asked concerned, “Are you getting a fever?”

Albus simply looked at him in a dazed, almost drunk expression, ‘The fantasy Sahara Desert has given his brain too much sun …’ Aberforth thought wildly. 

“The blonde guy who lives down the street” Albus finally said breathlessly. 

Aberforth’s insides recoiled. 

“What about him?” he asked derisively 

~

Albus blinked a few times, trying desperately to gather himself from his previous shock. 

Standing up straight and clearing his throat, he had meant to say the word ‘nothing’ to his brother. But the word obviously got far lost in translation, because what came out instead was -

“he-has-a-bum-tattoo” 

He stood for a few more seconds until mortification finally drove home and he dashed upstairs red faced, leaving Aberforth spluttering in his wake. 

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Albus was more observant than Gellert thought
> 
> What do you guys think of my Harry Potter 'easter eggs'? fun or too much?


	6. Ties which bind us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very Albus and Dumbledore family centric chapter.
> 
> \- Just a heads up guys, I've been so far making this fic light hearted and humorous, but like its canon equivalent, it is an angst tale. A tale full of heart that will end happily, but angst still lives and breathes through it and that will start getting more and more apparent from this point on.

6\. Ties which bind us. 

Albus waited until most of the crowd had walked into the hall to commence their lecture, before steadily walking up to observe one of the girl’s posters. 

The School of Music and Sound Engineering

Presents

‘The Deathly Hallows’

with Gellert, Vinda, Xavior and Gus  
Friday 11th March, 8pm at ‘Prince of Wales’  
488-489 Brixton Rd, Brixton, SW9 8HH  
Bring Student ID for complementary discounts. 

“The Prince of Wales Brixton?” said Minerva thoughtfully, approaching him from behind, having finally closed her book, which she was carrying in her arms. “Isn’t that where Aberforth just started working?”

“Yes” Albus answered her astonished himself, “rather strange coincidence”

“He’ll will have his hands full that night then for sure” said Minerva promptly, “With what? those two, their cronies and a majority of the university population”

“and he hates loud music” said Albus smiling in amusement. 

He continued to stare at the poster for a few more moments, as underneath the bold and lively text, was a photo shot of the band, the beautiful confident girl who had spoken to them before, the hard-faced skinny guy with black bangs, the dark skin burly looking guy and … him …

Minerva observed his interest with intrigue. 

“Are you actually considering going to this thing?” she asked him with raised eyebrows

Albus looked and her, then back at the poster and sighed. 

“Maybe that girl has a point” he said, his eyebrows creased with thought, “Are we really to spend our whole university lives as hermits who stay home, study and not much else?” 

“and work” said Minerva stiffly, “it’s a very 'busy' life”

“So … maybe … you should let your hair down and have fun more” he said teasingly at her, mimicking what the girl said earlier, but in more direct way of putting it. 

Minerva laughed bitterly and hugged the book closer to her chest.

“It’s going to take more than that silly girl’s shallow opinion to get me to ‘let my hair down’” she said darkly, “trust me on that … shall we?” she said, nodding her head in the direction of the lecture hall doors. 

“We shall” said Albus quietly and turned to follow her. 

~

There are people within the world, who sometimes spend their whole lives conforming to the appeals and expectation of others. Who live to meet the standards enforced upon them and who in turn get lost in such an unsatisfactory world, full of superficial goals and meaningless measures of self-worth, that they become no longer in tune with themselves? Albus’ mother was that person and hence why when her world of comfort and everything she knew got ripped from under her feet, making her fall into a dark ocean of uncertainty, she had since struggled immensely to tread water and swim. Without a life jacket, she latched onto what she believed would help her float, - her intelligent, savvy, highly motivated and caring elder son who she knew had all the ingredients to get somewhere purposeful in life and take the rest of the family with him. 

Before their successful father was taken from them, there were times even then in which Albus would be put on a pedestal like a show seal and forced to perform for the appeal of his parents and admiration of those around them through showcasing his intelligence and competence. He won awards, shook hands with important people and further developed contacts for potential ongoing purposes (what those purposes were, he did not know) all to appease the ever-yearning appetite of his parents, but most especially his mother. The more successful he was, the more time he’d spend writing papers and memorizing books of all hours of the day - needing to get better, until eventually overtime he felt his bond with his brother, sister and peers at school had slowly begun to slip away. Time began to feel like a constant strain, he felt he could no longer take 10 minutes to enter his sister’s room and ask her what music she was listening to, or walk out into their small yard, sit down next to his brother and ask him what he was now attempting to try and grow. His siblings invited him to the park often enough at different points and admittedly he could have gone and spent time with them then, - but always they asked him during the hours which he needed to memorize some text, or when he had actually been given time and peace to do something for himself for once - which he often complemented with the novels that provided him the fantasy and escapism he so needed. He loved to read books of adventures and discovery, ones similar to Fatu Hiva and The Beach. The types which tell stories of people who head out into the world with no plan and perhaps hardly any money, and eventually discover for themselves who they are, what they need to be doing and what their purpose for being is. 

There came a point when Albus was around 15 when his understanding and considerate father (whom he was closer to then his mother) finally put his foot down against his mother and told her she was putting too much pressure onto her successful golden child. 

“This is the most pivotal time of his life” he said firmly to her, “he is fast becoming a man and needs to start figuring certain things out, he cannot do that with you making all his decisions for him”. 

Figuring things out? All Albus wanted to do at that point was get as far away from Holland Park, his mother and this constraining lifestyle as he could. The furthest place he could actually would be the far south east, literally on the opposite side of the world to them. Where days were humid warm, grey days were rare, beaches were plenty and there was potential for him to see a different way of living. Hence, he started looking into the world of backpacking, reading stories and discovering locations. Despite it being a thing that was initially forced on him for extra student credit, Albus additionally found that he like tutoring very much. He liked watching people’s understanding and knowledge expand and develop and he liked being the help and assistance within that process. He enjoyed very much watching a person grow from a tear stained student worried about their future to a full competent individual, receiving high marks and obtaining a newfound set of confidence and self-assurance. He ‘figured’ - that travel and teaching would be the first steps into this pathway called manhood; and that they would be his steps, his choices, his life decisions, his sense of integrity and freedom to be himself for himself and not someone else – for someone else. 

So, when his plans for travel were ripped away, his father who at least understood part of him imprisoned and his mother free to reign control over him (only this time with more desperate self-motive than before, which was saying something) it was accurate to say that he was bitter; and some day’s he had to really stop and reflect if by this point, had he also given up? 

Had he given up on discovery, had he given up on fun and freedom, had he given up on a genuine relationship, had he given up on himself and his own personal dreams? Days of Uni, Study, Tutoring, Public Transports, Assignments, More Study all rolling into one after the other. His high marks giving his mother moments of confidence and reassurance. Study, Transport, Uni, Tutoring, Some Sleep, A Bit of Food? Do what’s expected of you, do what other’s need upon you, take more responsibility than you age should require, don’t question, just do what needs to be done, look after everyone … Study, Transport, Tutoring, Uni and then please some sleep! Was he going for live a life of this conformity forever and would he then eventually become lost in it, was he slowly over time with the passing of each weary day, turning into his mother?

~

He strongly wondered this after bidding goodbye to Minerva at the end of the day and heading to the library to meet Nikolas. A first-year student such as himself, but one who was struggling a great deal with the transition from high school casualness to university expectation, that his grades as such were suffering. 

He wondered would making an appearance at the bar be such a bad idea. He’d be rebelling against his regime and doing something different for once and for himself. He realised staring at the poster, that not once since turning 18 had he actually ever been out. He’d never even stopped on the way home from tutoring for one pint in some random pub, an afterwork custom that many Brits followed like a religion. Then his heart sank remembering yet another reason why this was. For it wasn’t just the meeting expectations that were responsible for his regimented life. Since his sister’s assault 2 years ago, his mother was firm in wanting to know where he was at all times and expected him to be in and out the house at the same routine hours or else? He remembered the night he came home late after 11 after ending up stuck at that girl’s house, she had been beside herself the next morning (his phone had run out of battery so he couldn’t that night, even call or text), But regardless, even if he were to text her and say that he’d had popped into a bar with the decision to complete his university tasks, whilst ‘responsibility’ enjoying the new and interesting perks of adulthood, it wouldn’t be worth it, because text or no text, he knew she would panic. She would give the excuse that he needed to be home for Ariana, but Albus knew there was always more to it then she would let on. She was worried that what had happened to Ariana would happen to him and she really could not afford mentally and emotionally to let that happen. So really being the age of 18 didn’t matter to him one bit, he did not feel one bit like a free adult, any more than he’d felt like he had been a free child or teenager growing up. He was not carving his own pathway into manhood as his father had wanted. 

And besides who would go with him to this event? Minerva had already put her foot down against it and he certainly wasn’t going to attend some popular social event on his own. He could just imagine being there, his brother giving him disapproving looks as if to say, ‘what are you doing here, mum and Ariana need you, go home!’. He imagined the blonde guy surrounded by his popular friends and then seeing him alone, perhaps thinking that he was a loser or something. There was no point …

~

“Hey Nik” he said brightly to his tutor subject who was already sat at their table waiting for him. 

“Oh, hey Albus” he said timidly looking up, “Good day?”

“Can’t complain too much” said Albus meekly, grabbing a seat and laying his bag on the table. 

“Have a look at this” Nick said eagerly removing from the folder in front of him, a printout of the previous end of term grades, which Albus knew were being slowly released this week. 

Albus gently took the paper from him and with one quick scan of its contents, he directed his gaze up to his client who beamed happily. 

“Wow Nik” said Albus enthusiastically, “What a remarkable improvement!”

“I have you to thank” said Nik sincerely, “You’re the best tutor this uni’s got”. 

Albus looked down at his bag embarrassed

“Well um, thanks Nik” he said awkwardly

“I mean that in all earnesty mate” said Nik smiling widely. 

It was a rather nice moment that admittedly, did make Albus feel good for a short while.

“So … um … something you should know” Nik began in a slight fumbling manner, as if he wasn’t completely sure how to sympathetically put across what it was that needed to be said, “That singer and guitarist, whose band everyone goes to see … “ 

Albus’s head rapidly shot up 

“- he … erm” Nik continued, “he … cornered me last week, wanting your name and number for tutoring” 

“Oh” said Albus placidly, “really? …” he added going deep red again 

“Yeah …” said Nik awkwardly, running a hand through his hair. 

Albus sat still and blinked a few times, in a manner of trying to piece wavering thoughts together. 

“But he’s a music student” Albus said at last in a voice rendering genuine confusion. 

“He doesn’t think it matters” said Nik repeating what the boy had said to him and sharing in the perplexity, - “I dunno … maybe he needs help with the correct display and wording of song lyrics or something?”

“Maybe” Albus agreed outwardly, but remained completely baffled inwardly, and all the while thinking - ‘he has my number… he has my number! … he has my number!!’. The thought made his stomach lurch and his heart race. 

~  
1 hour later Albus was still thinking heavily about this new and interesting development, when leaving the library to head home via Elephant & Castle Underground. He emerged out the library building into in the late afternoon sunshine and walked a few paces before hearing a voice sounding behind him. 

“You dropped something”.

Turning around curiously, Albus’ body froze, and his facial features became stricken upon realisation of who the voice belonged to.

Stood leaning against a pole with all the easy elegance and cool grace in the world, was no other than the blonde-haired boy. He was smoking a cigarette and looking at Albus with great interest (Albus’ heart began to race again). 

The boy chucked his nearly finished cigarette butt to the ground and stubbed it with his toe. He then walked forward slowly a couple of steps to bend down and pick something up off the ground, which Albus realised to his embarrassment was one of his sherbet lemon’s (curse his broken zip!). 

“Actually” said the boy highly amused, “You’ve dropped a ‘few’ things” and Albus’ then noticed as the boy had (to his own horror) an almost trail of sherbet lemons scattered from the library door to where they now stood. 

He could do nothing but stand mortified, hoping the ground would rise up and swallow him whole as the boy made a show of picking up each and every sherbet lemon sweet for him, then with an almost kind and caring smile and surprisingly gentle touch, he deposited them into Albus’s laid out hands.

“Thank you” Albus stammered shoving the sweets into his jean pockets instead. The boy continued to gaze fondly down at him. 

“Like Hazel and Gretel” the boy mused, “hoping to leave a trail in case you couldn’t find a way back? I’d been previously under the impression, via speculation, that books attracted you like bright lights attract insects”.

“My zips broken” said Albus shyly, “I’ve been meaning to stitch a new one on for ages”

“You sew?” the boy asked interested

“Yes sometimes, when I have time” he confirmed, “I really enjoy knitting patterns …” he added lamely, then blushed deeply on realisation of what he’d just said aloud. 

The boy taking no notice continued to stare at him charmed and Albus feeling very timid by this point, directed his attention down to his feet. They stayed like that for a bit until –

“Hazel and Gretel left breadcrumbs, not sweets” said Albus decisively.

“But your smart” the boy said in a matter of fact tone, “You chose to leave something, that if a bird tried to eat, it would most probably choke on and die, hence your trail is secured as those things are as hard as rocks …”

“Well to be fair, they did try to leave pebbles first” said Albus his cheeks flushed. 

The boys lip quirked in amusement and again, the two stood in intense silence until Albus’ worked up the courage to speak again. 

“Why are you here so late today?”

“Band practise” said the boy simply, choosing that moment to light up another cigarette, “I stepped out for a ciggy, which as you can see, has now turned into two as a result of your lovely company”

“Right” said Albus redder then ever, “Your gig coming up on Friday?”. 

“- one which you’ll be attending yes” said the boy in a way that seemed more like a statement than an actual question. 

Albus after being taken back for a few seconds, nervously cleared his throat. 

“Um … well yes … I mean hopefully” he said hesitantly

The boy then stared deeply at him, eye’s narrowed slightly in a way that made Albus recoil with slight intimidation, then just as quickly, his expression softened again. 

“Well I certainly hope to see you there” he said genially

“Um” Albus murmured nervously, “I’ll definitely try … and erm … I best be getting home” he added regrettably (he’d already missed the train he should have been on), “It was lovely talking to you” he said before turning to walk off. ‘

~

Gellert watched him walk off, his lips frowning with slight disappointment. 

“I’m Gellert by the way” he called out to the retreating back. 

The boy stopped suddenly and tilted his auburn head back in his direction

“I’m Albus” he said and then with one last polite smile, turned to leave.

Gellert’s watched him go with strong intensity, eye’s lingering on each and every graceful step. 

~

Albus spent the journey home in daze so impenetrable, that he barely any paid attention whatsoever to himself nor his surroundings. He did not register himself tapping his Oyster Card at the gates, nor the closing of train doors, nor the peak crowds in both Underground stations, nor the traffic on Abbveille Road, nor himself reaching into his bag for key’s upon arrival at the front door of his home. HIs head reeling with the first conversation he’d ever had with his crush, be it an awkward one or not. ‘His name is Gellert, he is a guitar player, he thought I made lovely company’; Albus thought to himself thickly, whilst haplessly fiddling with his keys. Finally managing to get the right key into the right lock (after three attempts due to his wavering headspace), he entered into the hallway and closed the door behind him. He leant back on it sighing deeply and blowing a loose strand of hair off his face. He had just begun to contemplate why he hadn’t brought up Gellert’s (such a beautiful name …) need for tutoring when a voice broke him out of his stupor. 

“Oh, hello Albus dear” a voice belonging to his great aunt Honoria called from the sitting room. Albus blinked surprised, then walked down the hall and entered the room himself. His aunt who home-schooled his sister Ariana was usually gone by time Albus got home, which was later than everyone else. The lady in question who was sitting cross legged on a plush armchair reading her way through a gossip magazine, looked up in acknowledgement of his entry. 

“Hi Aunt Honoria” Albus said courteously, “how are you? Also, you’re here later than normal today?” he added in way of raising the question.

“Yes” said Honoria in a matter of fact tone, “Your mother asked if I could sit for a bit while she and Aberforth got some needed grocery shopping done, don’t ask me why she didn’t get it done on the weekend when she had time” she added rolling her eyes slightly (she was as fond as Albus’ mother, as she was of her).

Albus stood motionless, a wave of discomfort washing over him

“Our old housekeeper used to do, so she just forgets sometimes” he said twiddling his fingers

“I’m aware Albus” said his aunt sternly, “but your mother hasn’t had a housekeeper for two years, which is more than enough time for her to be getting on top of things herself, especially since she only works part time 4 days a week” she added sighed and returning her attention to her magazine. 

“- and it’s not your responsibly either” she said cutting off what she knew Albus had been about to say, making him close his mouth again instantly, “you’ve got enough on your plate with university and all that tutoring you do to bring in extra money, and it’s hardly Aberforth’s either especially now that he’s gotten a job himself and with that on top of his senior school year, your mother is the mature age adult here, it’s her responsibly and hers alone to keep the household managed” 

Albus frowned deeply and gazed miserably at the floor, previous blissful thoughts about Gellert, well pushed aside. 

“Anyway enough of that” she said closing her magazine and looking back up again at her great nephew, ”How are you my darling?” she added in a compassionate way, reflective of a great aunt who had always a very deep well held fondness for her great nephew’s and niece. 

~

Since their great uncles’ accidental death 20 years ago, their Aunt Honoria had lived alone in their large house in Surrey. Whilst he was alive, the couple had never been able to have children due to his aunt’s infertility caused unfortunately by the shape of her uterus. This had made her late sister’s child Percival the light of her life whilst he was growing up, a love that had now been spread amongst his three children. When his father was put in prison, it broke her heart as much as theirs. Thereby despite heavy resentment towards their mother, she had placed herself into the role of providing for the family in every way reasonably possible and Albus’ was ever grateful to her for it. As he knew that her road trips to their home from Surrey five times a week was no easy fret for her. Especially now that she was getting on in age and she refused to catch a train due to her heavy disliking of British railway companies (“I refuse to give any of those greedy, corrupt bastards’ a dime of my money”). 

~

Albus swallowed nervously and looked up at her in attempted at feigning neutral.

“I’m ok, just getting on with things” he said offhandedly.

His aunts’ eyebrows narrowed, and her wrinkles creased with concern. 

“You know Albus, you can always talk to me when you need to, and the spare bedroom in my home is always available should you wish for some time away every so often” she said. 

“I’m needed here” he said resentfully.

As if on cue, the front door slammed and the shuffling of his mother and Aberforth could be heard in the hallway, then kitchen. 

“I’m back Honoria, thanks for staying a bit longer” his mother’s voice called from the other room. 

“Wonderful” said his aunt tartly closing her magazine and picking her handbag off the floor

“How’s Ariana going with her schooling?” Albus quickly asked, as this was something the inspiring teacher indeed took great interest in.

“Rather well as usual” said his aunt briskly, “though same problems as always with the technical side of things, I did my schooling a long time ago and back then we never had any of these fancy pieces of equipment you kids now have, suppose it’s not too bad in a way, I’m basically learning as much as she is” she added with a wink. 

He smiled weakly then stepped aside to allow her back into the hallway. She however grabbed him softly by the cheek and placed a small kiss on forehead. 

“Take care of yourself my dear” she said in nurturing and motherly way, that made warmed his heart and, in an instant, brought him back to feeling as good as he previously had been.

When his thoughts were still swirling around a certain blonde boy, the one whose name he now knew.

~

After helping his mother and brother put groceries way, Albus went upstairs, proceeded past his sister’s closed door, and further up to his attic bedroom. Setting his broken zip bag down in the space between his bed and his desk, Albus sat down and opened up his laptop to start assignment work. The first thing he noticed was the little red speech mark (1), above the envelope icon indicating a new email. Clicking on it automatically, Albus smiled widely upon seeing that it was a new email from Elphias. He opened the email up and read it to himself. 

~

Albus!

I’ve taken a week off my job in Sydney and have now made it to the Gold Coast . 

You’d love it here I think, life is slow and sunny. It’s actually a very bizarre place in a way. Masses of high-rise buildings that sprawl along the coastline. It looks a bit like a city, only these buildings are not commercial, they are privately-owned resorts with lagoon style pools, bars, restaurants and stuff. I guess in a way it’s kind of like Miami only not as pretentious nor expensive and people here are really friendly and I mean REALLY friendly. - like I literally knocked over a parked Mo-ped the other day with my hired car, and almost had a full-on panic attack thinking I was about to get murdered by the owner. But what happened was so interesting, literally three pedestrians stopped to help pull it back up, “Let’s not let all the petrol drain out” one actually said to me laughing and then when the owner was actually called, he was so light hearted and nice about it. “No scratches, no worries” he said, and “it’s a cheap, shitty thing anyway”. I mean imagine doing that in the middle of London!! It’s so unbelievably hot here that I’m spending most of the day in the ocean which feels nothing like the water back home. It’s warm! and its actually really helping with my skin problems, which is a good thing obviously.

How are you? How’s Ariana, Aberforth and your mum? Still the same? 

On a positive note have you seen that guy down the street again? ;) ;) 

Sending you all my best wishes my dear friend. I really, really!! wish you were here with me. 

Kindest Regards

Your Friend  
Elphias. 

~

Albus smiled weakly at the conclusion of the email.  
‘Wish I was there too Elphias’ he thought bitterly to himself, then proceeded on with his work. 

~

1 hour or so later, Albus’ concentration was interrupted by a not so subtle knock on his door. 

“Dinner Albus” he heard his brother gruffly announce from the other side, which was followed shortly by his retreating footsteps. 

Albus pursed his lips and put down the pen he’d been using to jot down notes. Getting up slowly from his chair and stretching, he then moved a few steps away from his desk and to the left, where an old-fashioned wardrobe stood. He opened to the door to the wardrobe, so to briefly inspect his reflection in the mirror on the inside of the door, there he stood and gazed at his reflection glumly. He’d been told that he was very good looking, but some days, particularly like today, he just couldn’t see it. He didn’t see the same beautiful features that others saw. What he saw was frailness, pale skin, persistent dark rings under his eye’s and a fine frame with barely any muscle. He thought then of Gellert, tall, toned, structured and always looking at ease, full of spark and confidence. He thought of Gellert so much in that moment that it almost seemed as if the object of his desire was now within the mirror itself staring back at him, smirking. Oh dear god … he was obsessed!! – and apparently going crazy as well!

“ALBUS” his brother roared up through the two floorboards. 

Groaning Albus turned on his heel and proceeded to join his family for dinner. 

~

He walked into the kitchen to see his brother lay the last tray of food onto their very small kitchen table. Aberforth being the most able to do so, did most of the cooking in the house, much to his mother and Albus’ relief, as his mother had never done much cooking in her life, particularly since the family once had a chef who took such menial tasks off her and Albus’ last attempt at cooking went haywire. The oil he was using to fry became too hot and a small fire started. Whilst Albus’ stood there perplexed and fascinated by the chemistry of the event, Aberforth had enough quick sense to turn the stove off and step in with baking soda to smother it before it spread, - so no more cooking from Albus for a bit. 

He then watched Aberforth lay a plate of food on a tray with a knife and fork, making his heart sink. Some nights Ariana would be too ‘unwell’ to come and join them for dinner and it appeared that yet again, tonight was one of those nights. 

“Sit darling” his mother ordered, pouring herself a glass of wine, “You look famished”

Aberforth scowled, then left the room to take Ariana’s food to her. 

Albus did as he was told (as always) and quietly sat down, accepting a plate from his mother that he then began to pile with modest amounts of food. 

“Have you received your end of term yet?” his mother than asked taking a slip of wine and looking disapprovingly at his small plate. 

“Not yet” said Albus dully, picking at his potato, “It’s only Monday”

“Well I’m sure your grades will be exceptional, as always” his mother complimented beginning to cut up her carrots

Albus didn’t respond to her, rather moved away from the table to pour himself a glass of water from sink and as he sat back down, Aberforth returned. 

The three sat in silence for a short while simply eating their food, until the phone in Aberforth’s pocket buzzed. Aberforth flicked the silent mode on and continued eating as if nothing had happened, but Albus stared at him with interest (considering Aberforth never received text messages from anyone ever).

Then suddenly he remembered something.

“A band from my uni are playing at your pub on Friday night” Albus informed Aberforth lightly

If looks could kill, Aberforth’s would be a nuclear weapon. 

“Yes I know” he said darkly, stabbing his potato with unnecessary violence, “Oh and by the way, you’re coming to that” he added in a matter of fact tone without looking up.

Albus blinked at him, while their mother lowered her glass of wine and also stared at her middle child curiously. 

“Am I?” Albus questioned bewildered

“Yep” Aberforth replied still not meeting his brothers gaze.

Instead he continued to gulp down his food pretending that he had not just made a bizarre, uncharacteristic request of his brother. But Albus was having none of it and as it seemed by appearance, neither was their mother. 

“Why …” Albus pressed him calmly. 

“Because I never ask you to do anything ever Albus” Aberforth snapped impatiently now looking up, “So when I do, it’d be nice if you could please just do it, even if it is outside your schedule”

“Aberforth” their mother snarled, putting her glass firmly down on the table. 

Albus raised his hands slightly as a peace gesture and looked sternly between his mother and his brother (who glared at him).

“I was just interested Aberforth, because like you said – you never ask me to do anything” said Albus calmly. 

“I suppose you’ll find out when your get there, consider it a delightful surprise” said Aberforth sarcastically

“Back up” their mother said breaking her silence and looking at Aberforth furiously, “I don’t want your brother out late at night in some strange place, all whilst you pig headedly refuse to tell as why”

“It’s not a strange place mother, it’s my work” said Aberforth loftily, -“and there’ll be plenty of pretty young girls there, he might actually get a chance at finding you your future daughter in law” he added with a snide glare at Albus, who gave him a very cold look in response. 

Aberforth was the only person in Albus’ family who knew he was gay (though by this point Ariana was also catching on too). Albus once asked Aberforth how he knew since Albus never openly displayed it nor spoke about it, with his brother’s response being - “I just do”, so goes the secret nature and mystery of sibling relationships. 

Their mother gave off a look, that made her appear as if she were violently biting her tongue (which she could have been). At this point Albus shot yet another questioning look at Aberforth and Aberforth in response, chose this moment to very briefly drop the ‘pissed off’ persona and give Albus a sincere look that reflected one very simple word - ‘please?’. 

Aberforth then turned back to their mother and cleared his throat in a make believe, dignified way. 

“Because Albus has been working so hard lately, he is piled to the bone with uni tasks and yet still chooses to pick up extra tutoring clients to help support us, I just think it’ll be nice for him to get out and have fun, especially considering the event organisers are quote ‘promising it’ll be a good night’” he said, - the first half robotically the latter half sardonically and a bit pink faced, earning yet another surprised and deep questioning look from Albus. 

Albus however needing to play his own part, turned to his mother and put on his most sincere expression. 

“Please mother” he said hopefully, “It’s being advertised around school and I’ve been thinking lately about how it’d be really nice to go and watch the talent from ‘The School of Music and Sound Engineering’ perform, - get involved in university social activity for once”.

Their mother did not answer straight away, rather she grabbed her glass once more and took a particularly long and hard gulp that made both boys flinch. She then put down her glass and glanced between both boys with a very serious look on her face. 

“Will it be safe” she questioned Aberforth

“Yes” he replied stiffly. 

“and you’ll be home before midnight?” she then added looking sternly at Albus

Before Albus could say anything, his brother stepped in. 

“Mother Albus is 18 years old” he said to her exasperatedly and a bit frantically (as he was sure his deal with Gellert did not include a time limit, besides he was sick of his mother putting substantial attention onto his brother and not his sister – where it currently needed to be!), “he’s an adult and its not like he’s going to turn into a pumpkin if he stays out after midnight, besides …” he said, his eyebrows now narrowing at her, “my shifts sometimes end at 3am and you never worry about me coming home late”.

Their mother looked Aberforth up and down then scoffed

“The amount of times I’ve had to come up to your school, due to you being in physical fights” she said to him a bit nastily, “No I don’t worry about you coming home late, because I know you’re very unlikely to get assaulted or abused … he however” she said pointing her finger at Albus, “Is a much different story”

“He’s not going to get abused” said Aberforth angrily

“ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO ARGUE WITH ME OVER THIS TOPIC AFTER WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SISTER?!” their mother shrieked, causing both boys to jump and recoil into their seats.

A horrible silence fell across the table for a few minutes. No one was touching their food anymore, their mother sat with furious trauma etched on her face, the boys with sad and sullen guilt. 

Their mother sighed defeatedly and buried her face in her hands. She then recomposed herself and gazed back and forth between her two boys, looking very tired and worn. 

“Yes, you can go Albus” she said firmly, “But I want you home before midnight, no excuses! and Aberforth, while you’re working, I want you to keep one eye on him always, that’s my final decision”

And at that, she grabbed her bottle of wine and left the table, proceeding to the courtyard to have cigarette and leaving half a plate of untouched food behind her. 

The two boys continued to sit for some time until with a somewhat painful, despairing groan, Aberforth got up, picked his mother’s plate off table and tossed food, plate and all into the bin in frustration. He then opened the freezer door to gather some ice cream out of a tub to take upstairs to his sister. Albus remained seated watching him until finally with a shuddering breath he asked

“Aberforth please, why do you want me to go? I have a right to know” 

Aberforth didn’t flinch, nor did he give Albus the respect of turning around and facing him. 

“Because someone wants you there” he said shortly, and then turned to put the tub of ice-cream back in the freezer. 

Albus lips curled slightly

“So, who are they and what do they have over you?” he asked coolly. 

Aberforth laughed, almost a tad bit hysterically, then turned to stare his brother down, his facial expression representing everything from disdain, to resentment, to fury to disappointment and above everything else - sadness. 

“These bills potentially not getting paid, is that enough?” he questioned gesturing at the paperwork held by a magnet to the fridge door. 

With that he grabbed his sister’s ice-cream and stormed out the kitchen leaving Albus very much alone at the table. 

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hang on to your ships, because they're all about to set sail next chapter!! - sorry its been so drawn out, but hey! relationships don't happen overnight. 
> 
> Also Elphias' tale about the Mo-ped, is something that happened to me at that location in real life, whoops!
> 
> <3


	7. Sparks fly in Brixton

7\. Sparks fly in Brixton 

“Please” Albus begged his friend over tea and banana bread at Costa the following morning. 

“No” said Minerva horrified, “Absolutely not”

“Please” he persisted, “I need to go as a favour to Aberforth and I can’t go on my own”

“Aberforth will be there won’t he” she said tartly

“He’ll be working” –

Minerva huffed and took a long sip of her tea. She then gave her friend a stern look, who in turn, stared rather innocently back at her. 

“Aberforth’s favour aside, which he refuses to explain to you” she said stiffly, “Would another reason have anything to do with that blonde-haired music student, whose gig it is?”

Albus went as red as his hair, whilst Minerva sat sipping her tea, watching him with newfound amusement. 

“How-?”

“Because I’ve seen you staring longingly at him Albus” she interrupted placing her teacup back on her saucer, “-and when he’s around your face turns the same shade as it is right now, I’m not stupid”

“No, you’re not” Albus agreed sighing, feeling rather stupid himself. 

Minerva smiled kindly at him and huffed once more.

“Due to Aberforth’s favour owing to some mysterious person, that is making him now ask a favour from you, yes I will ... as-a-favour to ‘you’, - go to this blasted event” she said tonelessly

Albus beamed

“Thank you” he said earnestly to her, reaching for his teacup to take a sip of his now lukewarm tea. 

As he did Minerva’s eyes suddenly narrowed. 

“but I am ‘not’ letting my hair down” she said determinedly, making Albus snort into his cup.

~

But by time Wednesday night rolled round, the laugher of that moment had long gone and Albus was beyond stressed. Since it had been confirmed by everyone that he was going to this live music gig, he’d been relentlessly perusing through his wardrobe and dresser for something to wear to it. He grumbled whilst flicking plain t-shirt after plain t-shirt dramatically over his shoulder. He then thought of Gellert’s slogan tee’s and wondered why up to this point, has his taste in fashion had been so boring. ‘Because mother buy’s most of my clothing, that’s why’ he then thought to himself sarcastically. He sighed deeply, turning away from his dresser and collapsing into a heap on his bed. 

There he stayed for a bit, staring dully at his bedroom ceiling, until a delicate knock on his bedroom door broke him from his stupor. 

“Yes?” he called curiously to the person on the other side of the door. It opened slightly to reveal the shy face of his 15-year-old sister. 

“Hi” she said timidly as Albus sat up on his bed giving her a blank look, “Um … I just heard a lot of commotion going on from downstairs, so I just thought … you know? Check to see if you’re ok?”. 

Albus smiled at her. 

“Everything’s fine Ari, I’m just being melodramatic because I can’t find anything to wear to this thing on Friday” he said gently

“Want some help?” she asked, her expression suddenly brightening. 

Albus looked strongly at her, having not failed to notice her sudden change in demeanour. 

“Of course,” he said encouragingly “You’re much better at this than I am”

Smiling widely his sister walked into the room and began picking his clothes up off the floor for him. Afterwards, she stood in front of Albus deeply analysing the apparel in her hands. 

“It’s a live music gig at Aberforth’s pub, right?” she asked 

“Correct” said Albus, watching her with a slightly amused expression 

“Well then none of this is going to work” she said seriously, putting the clothes back into the dresser. 

“Great” said Albus glumly, flopping back down on his bed again, earning a small giggle from Ariana. 

“We must go online shopping” she announced happily. 

Albus sitting back up, raised his eyebrows at her. 

“With what money Ari?” he said to her sadly. 

“With yours” she replied firmly, “from the extra tutoring you’ve been doing”

“That money is to assist mother” Albus said

“That money will most likely be used for more wine and cigarettes, what mother doesn’t know won’t hurt her” Ari replied with more confidence than Albus had ever seen her have within the last two years. 

He gazed at her reproachfully, but she continued to hold her firm stance. 

“Ok” he surrendered, reaching for his laptop and opening it, as a beaming Ariana sat down to join him. 

Taking the laptop gently from his hand, she then proceeded to open up the online platform for the company Zara. 

“You need something that is flashy but subtle, something that make you stand out, but also allow you to blend in, something eye catching, but modest!" she said expertly, scrolling through the page with a look of great concentration. 

“That sounds incredibly complicated” said Albus bewildered

“Nope” she said confidently and smiled cheerfully up at him, “It’s a synch”. 

Over the course of an hour, they had come to agree on a button up black shirt, made from some silky material, washed jeans more interesting than any pair Albus’ currently owned, being they were tapered and ripped at the knee; and then after perusing through his shoe cupboard, of which Albus owned very few, they settled on his pair of white converse high tops. 

“One more thing” said Ariana placing the order and putting the laptop down, she then leapt up from the bed and moved once more over to Albus’ wardrobe. From within it she pulled out a dressy scarf that was red and gold striped and came back over to Albus beaming. Albus smiled warmly at her and sat still so she could gently wrap it around his neck. 

Suddenly they were both very silent, Ariana looking down with a now sad expression that Albus shared whilst stroking the soft fabric of his scarf. 

“Do you remember when we brought this?” she asked him quietly

“Like it was yesterday” he replied gazing towards her with brotherly concern. 

~

It was Ariana’s 13th birthday. One that was celebrated with a grand high tea at Claridge’s, formerly their mothers favourite venue for celebrating such occasions. Whilst their mother and father stayed behind for champagne with friends, their father had given the boys permission to take Ariana shopping on Oxford Street to spend her birthday allowance. So, the three siblings left the high class building high on sugar from all the consumed cakes and ran through the streets of Mayfair, laughing and dodging tourists. Finally reaching their destination red faced and puffed, they entered into what was Ariana’s favourite store. The 5-storey flagship Topshop across from Oxford Circus Underground, where they further spent a blissful 2 hours. Albus’ dancing through the aisles picking dresses for his sister to try on, Ariana in the changing rooms putting on one thing after the other with such enthusiasm and speed (flustering the retail workers) and Aberforth remaining seated on one of the changing room chairs watching the whole charade with great enjoyment. Eventually it was just the two of them as Aberforth never good with crowds, left for the sanctuary of the Costa Coffee across the side street and Albus and Ariana proceeded up to the Topman menswear section on the highest level. It was there that Ariana came across the scarf that she insisted on buying for Albus, claiming that it suited him somehow, and Albus’ too caught up in the happy moment did not refuse. 

~

“I loved that day” said Ariana sadly, reverting once more back into the darkness that haunted their newer, less carefree days. 

“Those days will come back” Albus said to her in a determined voice, “I promise”

~

“Albus, either you're coming with me now, or you're walking there, I don’t care what mother says” came his brother’s impatient voice from behind his bedroom door. 

Frowning in annoyance, Albus took one last look at his reflection in the mirror. The clothes had arrived that morning and thankfully they fitted his slender figure well. He couldn’t remember a time he’d ever been as nervous as he currently was now. But with strong measurement, he gave his reflection a determined look as if to say, “It’ll be ok”, then turned to follow his brothers retreating footsteps. The pair walked out into warm evening, Aberforth pulling his bike along in tow. He sat down on it then motioned at Albus’, who obeying the command, stood himself up on the rest’s Aberforth had attached to the chain stay and supported himself by gripping onto Aberforth’s shoulders. At that moment the phone in Aberforth pocket went off again. 

“Seriously, who keeps texting you?” Albus asked baffled. 

“Don’t shift your weight too much” said his brother gruffly ignoring the question as they pedalled off. 

Albus smiled remembering himself saying the exact same thing to him when they did this at a much younger age. Back when Aberforth followed Albus around like a puppy dog, that included his trips to the local convenience store to satisfy his never-ending appetite for sweets. Back then Albus really did look like the older brother of the two and he would sit on the bike himself while Aberforth stood behind him. They would ride through the streets of Holland Park with Albus’ purposely swaying the bike side to side and riding around in circles to the amusement and laughter of his year younger brother. But his brother was now close to becoming a man and was also the much heavier of the two, so it was therefore Albus gripping his broad shoulders as they navigated their way through the streets of Clapham and onto Brixton. 

Albus had never been here before and noticed with curious observation that it was a rather multi-ethnic place. Jamaican flags hung in a tree opposite the neighbouring Ritzy cinema. Aberforth at that moment rounded a corner and stopped outside the venue named ‘Prince of Wales’. Albus hopped of the bike first, then Aberforth who then pushed it to the nearby bike racks, whilst Albus remained standing in the same spot, looking around curiously. 

“You made it” said a voice making him jump. 

There leaning against the outer wall of the pub stood Gellert who was smoking another cigarette and smiling affectionately at him. 

“Yes” said Albus blushing

“Nice mode of transportation you’ve got there” he added nodding in the direction of Aberforth, who turned and scowled at him. 

“C’mon” said Aberforth walking back to his brother, who he then grabbed by the shoulder and directed towards the entrance of the pub. 

Albus gave Gellert a quick apologetic look (who gave him a highly amused one back) before eventually finding himself within the building and onto its second floor. The pub spread out across three levels, the main bar, dining section and billiard rooms on the bottom. An area with a stage, table and chairs and a second bar in the middle and a rooftop terrace, third bar and smoking section on top. It was 7:30pm, the band’s set didn’t start for another half an hour but already the place was packed to the rafters with eager, well dressed uni students, alongside the pub’s regular Friday evening patrons. Aberforth pulled a chair out from under the bar and motioned at Albus to sit, while he himself moved around to the other side. 

“What do you want?” Aberforth asked grabbing an apron and tying it around his waist. 

“Um …” said Albus suddenly overwhelmed, he had never ordered a drink at a bar before and he was now taken back by just how much choice there was, “I’m not sure” he added thickly scanning his eyes across the taps and fridges. 

Aberforth rolled his own eye’s and reached into one of the small fridges behind him for a bottle of pear cider that he then uncapped.

“It’s sweet” he said pointedly, indicating that meant he’d probably like it, then placed it in front of him.

“Thank you” said Albus embarrassed, giving him the money for it. 

“There you are” a familiar voice from behind him spoke. 

Albus turned happily in the direction of his friend, then jerked slightly in his seat, eye’s widening in shock. 

For tonight Minerva was not looking like Minerva at all, she had ditched the tartan and was instead dressed in an elegant black dress that would put the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren to shame. She had on make-up which he’d never seen her wear before and had swapped her thick framed glasses for a more delicate looking pair (her hair was still in a bun though).

“Is it too much?” she asked uncertainly

“You look beautiful” Albus said to her in awe and apparently, he wasn’t the only one who thought so. As Minerva’s appearance was turning many nearby heads, most especially that of a brown haired, tanned skin man dressed in a flannel shirt who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. 

“Oh, thank goodness” she said briskly taking a seat on the bar stool next to him, “I’ve met the standard, hello Aberforth” she added nodding at the bartender. 

“Minerva” he replied gruffly, less fazed by her appearance, his attention instead on the task of wiping clean one of the pint glasses with a rag (Albus wondered how long it would take him to notice the rag was filthy and he was thus, making the glass even dirtier!). His brother’s concentration was broken however upon the sound of a second voice.

“Ahhh Mon Cherie’s!!, you’ve all made it” Vinda sang happily whilst gliding towards them. 

Aberforth figure became very stiff and he continued to wipe the glass down, stubbornly refusing to look up at her. 

“Hello Vinda” said Albus politely acknowledging the girl, “How are you, feeling nervous?”

Vinda laughed and flicked her hair in a way that made Minerva flinch. 

“Ah my dearest, you’ve very sweet, but the answer is ‘no’, I don’t get nervous before gig’s, rather I get incredibly hyperactive and a little bit horny” she said in such an buoyant way, Albus couldn’t’ help but admire her for it, (though this time it was Aberforth’s turn to flinch). 

“It’s Albus right?” she asked him kindly. 

“Yes” he said smiling at her

“Well Albus’ here’s to your night being as good as mine” she said winking at him and raising her glass of Prosecco that she then drowned all in one go. Placing her glass on the bar between Albus and Minerva, she then looked up at Aberforth and gave him a rather intent look, that finally meeting her gaze, he responded to with a deep frown (and slightly pink cheeks). She smiled cheekily at him, before turning her attention back to the seated pair. 

“Best get backstage” she chirped, “See you all soon lovelies” and with that she went, not before quickly turning and meeting Minerva’s gaze.

“By the way, you look breathtaking” she said to her in all earnest, then turned and disappeared into the audience crowd

“You have to admit” Albus then said to Minerva, “she annoys you, but she’s an intriguing person and really friendly …”

Aberforth snorted and Albus turned to look at him.

“What?” he asked baffled

“Nothing” Aberforth snapped, then walked away to serve a group of people who had approached the bar at the other end, leaving Albus and Minerva to share the same stupefied look. 

~

Gellert bounded up on stage swiftly with a complimentary ‘whoop!’ that did nothing short of get the rooms attention. 

Grabbing one of the microphones off its stand, he stood theatrically at the centre stage, grinning broadly at his audience. 

“South Bank University, London, what a startling surprise to see you all here!” he rang out cheerfully gazing amongst them. 

A few people laughed, others cheered, all the while Albus sat there twiddling his fingers, a small blush creeping across his cheeks. 

“As your aware, we lost our previous venue when its fragile owner decided we were all too much weight to carry - figuratively, thankfully however the generous staff here at Prince of Wales have eagerly made us welcome, so let’s give them a shout out” he said turning his smug attention onto Aberforth who glowered at him in response. 

The crowd promptly clapped and cheered in Aberforth’s and his co-worker’s direction, making Aberforth chuck his rag down in annoyance. Albus frowned at him, having not the faintest clue why his brother was acting more aggravated than normal tonight, - which was saying something! Then he suddenly remembered the deal of someone wanting him here and his insides froze up. Whoever they were, they had not made the presence known yet (or had they?).

As if right on cue, Gellert spoke again

“I’m Gellert as most of you know and I’m very grateful you could all drop your remotes and knitting needles, to come out and support us tonight, I’m especially grateful to one person in particular – but we’ll talk about that later”

Laughter, cheers and most especially - wolf whistles sounded throughout the crowd and Albus felt suddenly as if he’d been hit by a lightning bolt. He immediately snapped his attention back to his brother, who meeting his gaze, pursed his lips and nodded grimly in response (Albus went scarlet). 

“Anyway, no more noise from me unless I’m singing” said Gellert with the air of great satisfaction, “Let me bring out the rest of The Deathly Hallows, - Vinda, Xavior and Gus!”

The crowd cheered as Vinda herself skipped up onto stage followed by Xavior and Gus. She twirled around in front of the other microphone and did a small not-so-ladylike curtesy.

“Bonjour!” she cried out, “and welcome! For those of you who have never come to one of our shows before, shame on you! they generally go like this, - first half we sing the songs you groupies all love and enjoy, then we take a short 30 minute break and come back and do our own, Gellert quite literally finished writing the lyrics to our latest track in the bathtub last night, to the great annoyance of his aunt who needed the loo, so now our new material is all set to go!” 

The crowd cheered once more as the band settled into their instruments

“Let’s get the party started” Vinda sang out gleefully, “a 1 … and a 2… and 3!!!”

~

Over the course of the next hour it became well apparent that it wasn’t just the bands talent that made their gigs so popular, it was the incredible showmanship of the two front members. Gellert and Vinda cracked jokes, flirted with crowd and bounced off each other so well, one would think the two were twins in disguise. Both had the such levels of confidence and comfort in their themselves Albus, never in his lifetime once managed to achieve, particularly now ... 

“Calm down” his brother snapped, snatching what was now his third cider from him, that he’d been gulping down like cordial. 

Albus coughed a little then turned to glare at him. 

“This is your fault Aberforth, you’ve put me in a position!” he exclaimed, feeling well and truly beside himself

“I’d figure you’d be pleased by this” said Minerva raising her eyebrows at him, “Can I get another soda water and lime please Aberforth?” she then added to his brother. 

“You think 'I' wanted to be in this position” Aberforth snarled at him, pouring Minerva’s drink for her “that idiot’s fascination with you, led to him blackmailing me with the threat of me losing my job and that crazy woman has not stopped texting me all week” he added giving Minerva her drink and accepting her payment. 

“Wait” said Albus startled, looking back and forth between the stage and him, “Vinda’s the one whose been texting you” he confirmed, lips quirking in amusement. 

Before anything more could be said, the person in question’s voice rang out. 

~

“Ok rowdy knights and kick-arse damsels, we’re about to cut to our break, but not before a suitable concluding song to tie us over, this next song I dedicate to the wonderful bar staff who’ve been keeping us all appropriately plastered tonight, most particularly that bartender there” she said pointing her finger in Aberforth’s direction, who froze on the spot. 

“Wooh!! he’s a looker!” chortled Gellert pretending to fan himself, earning a few more wolf whistles from the crowd and the promise of death from Aberforth

“Yes, he is” Vinda agreed eagerly, pretending to also wipe sweat from her forehead, “This next song is for you Mon Cherie!! And considering this year will mark 40 years since its co-writer Mr Lennon’s assassination, the song is for him as well, - so here’s to one hell of a legend and one ‘damn fine bartender’” 

The band than began playing a song that Albus recognised as “I wanna hold your hand” by The Beatles  


"Oh yeah ‘bartender’, (Vinda empathised strongly) I'll tell you something, I think you'll understaaaaand” -

The crowd began cheering and whistling again, Aberforth remained rooted to the spot, mortified and refusing to look at her. 

“When I say that somethin' I want to hold your haaaaaaand” – 

Aberforth lips thinned into a tight grimace as Albus sat next to him trying not to laugh. 

“Oh please, say to me, you'll let me be your wo-man” she sang fluttering her eyelashes at him. 

“- Oh let her be your woman!!!” Gellert cried out dramatically, ferociously strumming his guitar and earning laughs from the audience. 

“And when I touch you, I feel happy inside, (“Oh yeah she does! deep inside!” Gellert boomed) It's such a feelin' that my love, I can't hide!!!” -

Aberforth groaned and buried his face in his beer-sodden hands while Albus began to quietly giggle, even Minerva’s lips were twitching by this point. 

Yeah, you got that somethin', I think you'll understand (Does he though guys, does he? Gellert chanted)  


I feel that somethin', I want to hold your haaaaand

I want to hold your hand  
I want to hold your hand

\- I want to hold your hand!

Vinda finished her lyrics and took a deep theatrical bow to the cheers of the audience. Standing up straight again, she gazed in Aberforth’s direction with a genuine smile across her face. Members of the audience looked back and forth between the pair with eager anticipation. 

Aberforth stood pink faced and with a deep breath broke the lingering silence. 

“Thank you” he said curtly nodding his head in her direction, he then walked away from Albus and Minerva, to serve a group of patrons who upon conclusion of the first set were now slowly make their way to the bar. 

With his brother now a short distance away, Albus bursted into a fit of laughter. 

“It’s like that has never happened to him before” said Minerva satirically sharing in the amusement, “I’m off to the ladies, be back shortly” she added lifting herself of her stood and walking away (the tan guy in the flannel shirt, watching her every step).

Albus stopped laughing and brushed his hair from his slightly glowing face (three ciders can be a lot for a light weight), he then froze at the sight of the guitarist standing a few short metres in front of him. 

Gellert smiled at him and nodded his head in the direction of the staircase leading up to the rooftop terrace. 

Timidly, Albus slid off his chair and made to follow him, his heart racing in his chest. 

~

Aberforth from the corner of his eye watched the pair leave with a dark expression. 

Gellert thought he’d won for now, but no way was Aberforth going to let this float without having the final say in the matter. 

No way would he let allow another family member to get hurt and Gellert was a person who for good reason, he deeply did not trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd been thinking a lot about what song to use for this moment between Vinda and Aberforth. Then the other night I watched the film 'JoJo Rabbit' with my brother, in which the german version of that song plays at the beginning. Then suddenly everything clicked into place. 
> 
> So thanks Taika Waititi for delivering on the inspo


	8. Will I find you when the night is over.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I admit I'm a bit self conscious about this chapter.
> 
> (a) because it contains a lot of dialogue  
> (b) there is a lot going on in general in this chapter and I hope it doesn't come across too muddled
> 
> and 
> 
> (c) the ggad coming together you've all been holding on for. I've discovered it's very hard to write romance in a way that's not cheesy. I'm still not sure if I've succeeding in doing that or not, but hopefully I have. On that note I realise teenager boys probably don't talk to each other this way, but hey! it's a story ...
> 
> Please see notes at bottom for other relevant info regarding this chapter.

8\. Will I find you when the night is over,

Minerva came back from the ladies’ room to find Albus’ gone. 

‘Hmm’ she thought pensively whilst curling her lips, she then further took a quick glance around the room despite knowing it was probably useless and as expected Albus was nowhere to be seen. ‘The blonde eagle has already swooped in and flown off’ she thought to herself pleased and amused. 

Figuring she’d might as well take her seat and wait for him, a voice suddenly sounded next to her.

“Are you enjoying your night?”

Minerva turned to see Vinda standing there smiling at her, another glass of prosecco resting in her well-manicured hand. 

“Surprisingly more than I initially thought I would” Minerva replied tartly that made Vinda grin with a sort of ‘take that!’ expression

“What did I tell you?” she said reassuringly.

“Are you always so boisterous on stage” Minerva asked her with raised eyebrows. 

Vinda responded with a simple shrug and took a large swig of her drink. 

“I like to keep myself entertained” she said simply in response 

“You certainty do … I’m not sure if Aberforth took that whole scene in his stride though” Minerva remarked

“Oh, he’ll get there” said Vinda merrily, taking yet another swig of her drink.

Minerva watched her, a bemused expression forming on her face, she wouldn’t admit it too anyone, but the outlandish girl was starting to grow on her. 

“I think you may be fighting a losing battle with that one” she said firmly, shooting the sullen-faced bartender in the distance, a quick thin-lipped glance. 

“I don’t lose battles” said Vinda sweetly lowering her glass, “Afterall, I didn’t with you, did I? you came here tonight in that beautiful black dress and you’re having fun, are you not?

Minerva stiffened, as Vinda watched her, a rather smug expression forming on her pretty face. 

“I came as a favour to Albus” said Minerva stubbornly

“You tell yourself what you want Mon Cheri’ Vinda jested, - “Oh and by the way, I can’t help but notice, there is a man in this room who keeps staring at you” she added grinning, “he has nice taste …“ 

Minerva’s eyebrows narrowed

“I’m sure you are imagining such things” she said snootily, crossing her arms. 

“Hmmm” Vinda contemplated, tapping her fingers against her glass as if caught in a rather interesting thought. 

“I imagine a lot of things” she admitted thoughtfully, “but never attraction, how else do I get so much success?” she added with a cheeky smile. 

“I suppose I’ll believe you if you ever manage to crack that nut over there” Minerva scoffed, pointing her finger in Aberforth’s direction,

“Hmmm” Vinda contemplated once more, the cheeky look still etched on her face, “Challenge accepted!” she then added robustly, before draining the rest of her glass and putting it aside on a nearby table. She then turned to Minerva and grinned. 

“A challenge of which I’m already in the lead with, because here comes your guy now” she said nodding her head smugly in the direction of a good-looking young man in a flannel shirt, making his way over towards them. 

Minerva froze on the spot, as Vinda laughed and so to leave the two in peace, twirled her skirt and made to walk off. 

“Au revoir” she said over her shoulder happily, “I have a battle to conquer!” she added cheekily, and then with one last wink, she began making her way over to the bar in the specific direction of a broad-shouldered bartender.

~ 

“Hi” said the mysterious man approaching Minerva, “having a good night?”

“I suppose I am, yes” said Minerva bewildered, staring the man up and down. 

Things she noticed included his slightly stained jeans, followed by the calluses on his fingers, then the slightly scruffy hairstyle that he had foolhardily tried to smother back with some strong-smelling gel product. But most of all on top of all that, she noticed the man had an incredibly warm smile, one that he was keenly shining down on her. 

“You sound surprised by that?” the man said amused

“Well live music events hosted by Tweedledee and Tweedledum are not normally my go-to on a Friday evening” she replied complacently, to which the man laughed.

“They certainty are a pair, aren’t they? can’t say I’ve ever come across that up in Inverness” he chortled taking a swig of his amber looking liquid. 

“Inverness” said Minerva startled, “I’m from Inverness” she added incredulously

“Truly?” said the man with delight, “A lady of your elegance, I’d have said Edinburgh …”

“Erm” said Minerva baffled, feeling butterflies in her stomach, “Well no … I’ve lived in Inverness my whole life, until the start of this year when I received a place at the University in Southwark for a teaching degree” 

“Good choice” the man complimented, “You seem the type that would make a good teacher” he further mused.

“What on earth does that mean?” Minerva asked dubiously, feeling quite taken back by the comment. 

“You seem like a no-nonsense type” said the man kindly, “I mean you certainty had me intimidated, that was until Tweedledum came up to me and told me to quote - ‘go for it’” he added with a wink. 

“Did she now?” said Minerva coldly

“Indeed” said the man gazing down at her warmly, “and I am glad she did, because you do indeed seem like quite a lass …”

Minerva bit her tongue slightly, those strange butterflies once more invading her stomach. 

“Can I buy you a drink?” the handsome man asked pointedly

“I’m not drinking” said Minerva stiffly

“You don’t drink?” he asked curiously, earning an uncharacteristic laugh from the girl in response.

“I’m Scottish, of course I drink! – I’m just choosing not to drink in this particular environment” she stated, regaining her firm stance after the sudden unexpected laughter. 

“Right” said the man cheekily, “No nonsense type girl, got it! - well how about a cigarette then?” he asked inclining his head towards the steps that would take them downstairs and out into the evening. 

“I don’t smoke” said Minerva horrified. 

“Tell you what” said the man shrugging, “I don’t really either, but it’s a nice excuse to get away from the noise and out into the fresh air” he added in a matter of fact way 

Minerva bit her tongue more, looking at the man in front of her with deep disapproval.

“So, shall we?” he questioned hopefully

After contemplating the request for a moment, she finally relented with a deep sigh. 

“Yes, alright then” she said flustered, to which the man smiled at her once more in response.

“What’s your name?” he asked with deep interest

“Minerva” she told him “and yours?”

“Dougal” the man confirmed, “Dougal McGregor, at your service” he added with a wink and extended his arm for Minerva grasp onto (which to his great relief, she did). 

~

“Hello Mon Amour” sang Vinda confidently grabbing a seat at the bar, “Can I trouble you for a glass of Prosecco with an always needed aphrodisiac strawberry?”

Aberforth scowled (a bit pink faced) before proceeding to uncork a fresh bottle, being Prosecco had become the fashionable choice of drink that night. 

Vinda watched his every move from her stool with intent focus.

“I take it you didn’t like my song tribute” said Vinda to him pouting.

“A bit over the top don’t you think?” he replied coldly, not meeting her gaze

“Well slow and subtle clearly didn’t work, being you did not answer a single one of my text messages” she tested, picking up a strawberry from Aberforth’s garnish tray and placing it between her teeth. 

“This isn’t a buffet” Aberforth snapped, placing her drink in front of her

“You’re so cruel” she jibed, “no messages and no extra strawberries” 

“and no more conversation” Aberforth agreed, “I’m working …”

“So, am I as a matter of fact” said Vinda cheerfully, “You think we do these gigs for free?”

Aberforth said nothing, rather grabbed a cloth and made to wipe down the bar, refusing beyond all measure to meet the girls gaze. 

“Must you be so difficult?” Vinda chided, placing her elbows on the bar and resting her chin in her hands. A movement that allowed her to gaze up at Aberforth with puppy dog eyes.

“Must you be so conceited” he retorted, now finally meeting her gaze, his eyes resembling anything but a joyful puppy dog, “You seem absolutely determined, despite all otherwise hints, that I want to have a thing going with you”

“Let’s make a deal” said Vinda sitting up determinedly, “Let’s just start things off simple and easy, no commitments, no extra strawberries, just the fun relaxing stuff … you look like you could do with the fun and relaxing stuff” she added with suggestive eyebrows. 

“My time for fun and relaxing stuff is very limited these days” said Aberforth tautly, squeezing residue alcohol from his cloth, into the basin sink

“Can you manage 3 hours a week?” said Vinda having none of it, “It’s not too much time to ask for within a whole 7 day week, is it” she added pointedly

Aberforth groaned and placed his cloth down, he then looked at Vinda with a hardened expression.

“Am I a conquest?” he asked her coldly looking into her eyes dead on, “something for you and that idiot friend of yours to laugh and gloat about, another step on your way to becoming the most arrogant self-loving teenagers in London? Or do you in some very unlikely way, actually find yourself attracted to someone like me?” he added with a bite in his tone. 

“Someone like you?” said Vinda astonished (and ignoring the ironic statement of 'conquest), “goodness … that dark cloud above your head must be so full to the brim, its torrent rain is cascading down and clouding your vision, you really don’t see yourself very well do you?” she added with caution in her tone. 

Aberforth allowed a wave of insecurity to pass over his face, before turning to walk off in the direction of other patrons.

Vinda watched him go, her normally cheeky and confident expression now resembling something else, something very different … 

~

Dougal lead Minerva out onto the street and across the road, to where they stood under a lamp and next to a street mural whose haunted gaze stared down at them. 

“That’s a bit better isn’t it” he said to her casually, turning away to light himself a cigarette

“A bit more peaceful I agree, but probably not as warm” said Minerva frowning.

“You’re from Inverness are you not?” he said turning to her and smiling, “What’s a bit of London spring weather to you?”

She shot him bemused look in response to his fairly logical statement. 

“I suppose you have a point” she replied stiffly, before turning her attention upwards to stare bleakly at the evening sky. 

“Bloody cites” commented Dougal noticing her gaze, “makes them stars up there so impossible to see …”

Minerva sighed deeply and nodded in agreement. 

“I miss the stars” she said longingly, “and the green fields, and the highlands, and the pubs, those of which are much more decadent then this circus tent” she added, indicating her thumb towards entrance of the ‘Prince of Wales’ 

“Aye” he said sniggering, “I can agree to that”.

The two stood in silence whilst Dougal smoked his cigarette, though Minerva had noticed he was more puffing it, than exhaling it. 

“Are you in London for university as well?” Minerva asked politely, breaking the silence. 

Dougal laughed, shaking his head a little.

“No, no university for me” said Dougal simply, “I’m a farmer, always will be, I’m just down for the weekend visiting a mate is all”.

“Oh, I see” said Minerva a bit disappointed.

“Would it be rather forward of me, to ask for your number a bit later tonight, should I ever wish to see you again whenever I’m in town?” he asked her boldly, turning his sincere gaze over to meet Minerva’s now flabbergasted one. 

“Hem Hem” she coughed, turning her head away to clear her throat, as she was feeling rather giddy all of a sudden. Gathering herself she then stood up straight and looked towards the hopeful man. 

“Erm … well yes alright … perhaps you may, but perhaps I may need that drink first” she added smiling weakly at him. 

The man’s face brightened, he stubbed his cigarette before chucking it in the nearby bin, from there he stood up tall and proud, having just received a dose of newfound energy and stamina.

“You’re on” he rang out enthusiastically and motioned for her to walk back to the pub with him.

Minerva watched him go ahead a little, with a slight smile on her face. One that turned into a self-conscious grimace as she reached behind her head to pull out the hair tie that had been keeping her tight bun in place. 

She sighed deeply and determinedly, allowing the black strands to fall onto her shoulders, then moved forward gracefully to follow the handsome homeland stranger named Dougal, back into the venue. 

~

“Are you cold?” Gellert asked the boy in front of him, who was trembling slightly. They had found a secluded corner on the terrace overlooking the lit-up street below and there they stood under twining fairy lights that sheltered the blissful night sky.

Albus gazed up at him, his crystal blue eye’s full of apprehension, that Gellert’s own reacted to with such affection and an even stronger sense of something else ... 

“Yes and no” Albus replied, giddy with alcohol, sugar and intense nerves, “I think, the breeze is a bit …” he added shuddering and not finishing his sentence. 

Gellert smiled down at him, then removed his leather jacket to wrap around the boy’s shoulders

“Thank you” Albus stammered, also pulling his scarf tighter around his neck. 

They stood in silence for a time, an unspoken mutual understanding passing between each boy’s lingering and longing gaze.

“I guess I’m mostly nervous” Albus admitted quietly, shifting his focus from Gellert’s eyes onto the wooden floorboard under his feet, a movement conveying his words as much. 

“There’s no need to be nervous around me” said Gellert gently, “I only bite when the mood fits”

Albus half laughed, half coughed in response, then red faced he looked back up at Gellert’s eyes which unlike his own, had not left their former place and by all indication, had no intention of going anywhere. 

They were silent for a moment, until -

“I saw you twice on Abbeville Road” Albus confirmed quietly, - “Then on the underground, on the way to my first day of uni, I was running terribly late and I remember seeing you sit across from me, it took nearly all of my willpower to not stare at you the whole trip”.

Gellert blinked

“Well your willpower is greater than mine Mein Liebling, because I quite literally did NOT stop staring at you the whole trip” he asserted eagerly (and determined to not allow any trace of surprise from Albus’ confession to show in his voice), - “and your fancy boots” he added as an afterthought.

Albus giggled

“They’re Prada” said he blushingly, “brought back when … well, when my family had more money I mean” he added thickly, embarrassed by his own admission. 

Gellert raised his eyebrows slightly at the comment, but not wanting to discomfort the boy any further, he allowed it to slide. Albus smiled sweetly up at him, his auburn hair swaying a little in the strong breeze, that chose that particular moment to whoosh past. 

‘Christ’ Gellert thought to himself desperately, his chest pounding, ‘He really is beautiful …’

“You really didn’t need to bring my brother into this you know” Albus now said, his eyes narrowing slightly, “he resents me enough as it is …”

If Gellert had been taken back by the admission of the comment, it was short lived, considering he was now smirking widely. 

“Maybe” he said thoughtfully, “but doing so defiantly was one of the best times I have ever had” he added innocently to Albus, whose lips quirked a little in amusement. 

“I don’t do things half-hearted you see” he further stated in a complacent tone,- “and besides it was for my friend’s benefit as well as mine, as she likes his broad shoulders … and his strong arms … and his pretty eye’s, same as yours” he added heartedly whilst gazing into them. 

“Really? after the first half of your set, I was under the impression that you like to do things modestly and humbly” Albus joked, though blushing at the compliment.

“Never in any incident that involves you” said Gellert seriously, staring the boy up and down, “It’s full blown passion or nothing”.

They looked deeply into each other’s eye’s some more, until another breeze blew past making Albus shiver once more. Gellert chose that moment to take a few paces forwards and with great determination, wrapped his arms around the slender boy, who stiffened at first, but then slowly melted into his more solid form. 

“I’m glad you’ve come tonight” Gellert whispered softly into his hair, “You’ve no idea how long I’ve craved seeing you in a non-pass by event”

“Me too” Albus whimpered, resting his hands on Gellert’s sides. 

They broke away for a moment to take in each other again. Gellert smiled warmly down at Albus and gently tucked a loose strand of his hair behind his ear. Using the same hand, he them proceeded to caress the boy’s pale cheek, which Albus responded by placing his hand on top on Gellert’s, savouring in the touch. 

“I’ve got to go back on stage” Gellert whispered, “But I have a surprise for you, please say you’ll stay till the end?” –

Albus blinked and his heart fluttered. 

“I will” replied softly.

Gellert then leant towards him and still holding his face steady by his cheek, he gently kissed the space of his forehead, above his two eyes. 

~

Gellert kissed Albus’ hand one last time, before leaving him to walk back in the direction of the stage. Albus in a blissful daze turned to walk back to his stool, frowning a little in concern when he noticed that Minerva was still missing from the one next to it. He then felt a strong stab of guilt for not waiting to tell her where he was going. 

“aaaaaaand we’re back!” Vinda sang out to the crowd, who cheered with an enthusiasm. 

Albus smiled widely but frowned once more when he noticed a change having occurred in her demeanour. She seemed less chirpy and hyperactive than before and her facial expression now instead reflected something in the way of sadness and confusion. Albus wasn’t the only one to notice, as Gellert clutching his guitar also raised his eyebrows at her in concern. What had happened?

“It’s now time for us to play you our own material” said Vinda somewhat dully through the microphone, “Gellert if you please?” she added gesturing at the guitar player. He responded by walking forward and taking her place in front of the main microphone. 

“Ahem” he said clearing his throat and giving her a meaningful look before turning his attention back to the audience, “Right everyone!” he sang out in enthusiasm, “To start of the second half, we’re gonna play our first ever written song called ‘Finding Freedom’… give me a beat Gus!”

~

It didn’t matter that Albus was only on his fourth cider, he was defiantly drunk, but on something other than alcohol. He was drunk of Gellert’s movements, the way he cautiously handled his instrument, the way his fingers moved across the cords, he was drunk of his voice, his pitch perfect singing, he was drunk of the small moments that Gellert would direct his attention towards him and give him a playful smile, ‘is this what it feels like to really like someone?’ he thought to himself. 

“Ok guys, we’re gonna be wrapping things up now with this one last song” said Gellert in a surprisingly serious tone, “It’s a song I’ve been working on for about a year now, and it’s a song about ‘longing’, - aka a song about wanting something so bad it turns you inside out and attaches itself onto your every thought and feeling, it’s about being driven insane by obsession that you start to wonder whether your body might have ejected your brain at some point and decided to walk off without it, it’s about the fleeting feeling of sunlight entering a room when you see what it is you want as clear as daylight in front of you … ” 

There were a couple of excited and agreeable cheers from the audience at that point and Gellert smiled widely at them. 

“It’s a song dedicated to one very particular person here tonight, and it may be the red wine talking, but I can’t wait to see where things for us go to from here –“ he said softy over the microphone, giving Albus a deep look, who in turn became suddenly breathless.

“I concur with my best friend Vinda, I did indeed finally finish writing this song in the bathtub last night … what can I say? I must write love songs more proactively when I’m naked!” 

At that final statement, Gellert moved back towards his microphone and began strumming his guitar. Slowly Vinda and Xavior followed with their instruments, playing in the same soft acoustic rhythm and Gus, lightly tapped, rather than banged on his drums. The music they were playing had a very different feel to the upbeat, fast tracks that had dominated the night so far. 

Suddenly after the few moments of the soft peaceful music, Gellert began to sing …

My one and only one  
I've searching long enough …  
Will I find you when the night is over?

Tell me, where did you go?  
I've been searching high and low  
Will I find you when the night is over?

In every mirror, I pass  
Your reflection’s in the glass  
Makes me wonder if my mind is going

Like London’s consistent rain  
Slowly driving me insane  
By the stars above, I know this could be love  
I have only 'til the night is over

I feel my heartbeat change  
I hear voices say your name  
I watch the world roll by  
I see a phoenix in the sky

As the Thames reflects the sky  
And the city winks its eye  
When the night is done, will you vanish in the sun?  
Or will I hold you when the night is over?

Am I lost inside my mind?  
There's a phoenix in the sky  
I hear voices say your name  
By the stars above, I know this could be love

I hear the voices say your name  
and I have only 'til the night is over

~

The audience clapped loudly, and Albus’ face flushed and feeling the pit of his stomach drop, slipped off his stood and made his way back up to the lit rooftop terrace. 

~

Gellert smiled widely at his eager audience.

“Thank you and good night” he concluded into the microphone. His eyes then scanned back to the acquainted bar stool and he frowned noticing it was now vacant.

By his side, Vinda still looked somewhat withdrawn as she made to place her bass guitar back into its case. 

“I’ll be back” he said sincerely to her, before jumping off the stage and manoeuvring through the crowds amidst further claps and pats on the back. 

‘Will I find you when the night is over’

Gellert found that he didn’t need to ask anyone if they had seen a goregous red head boy walk past, he found he already knew where to find him … be bounded up the staircase two at a time then emerged back onto the fairy light terrace. there within a short distance, he saw Albus in their former corner, staring out across the chimney roof tops surrounding them. 

Gellert with his heart fluttering in his chest, walked across the creaking floorboards over to him. Albus turned his head and acknowledged his presence with captivated eyes. 

“That was for me wasn’t it?” he said to Gellert quietly, in which Gellert didn’t respond with words, but rather gave him a deep heartfelt look, before grabbing his cheek softly again and leaning in. It was brief but still had as much meaning as each wanted to convey. Gellert withdrew gently and looked down into crystal blue eye’s that he saw contained a trace of sadness within them. 

“Do you think you can hold me now” said Albus softly, “because my night is nearly over ...”

“What do you mean?” Gellert whispered to him confused. 

“I mean I have to go home” said Albus bitterly, “It’s nearly midnight … and my mother, I’ll tell you another time” he added somewhat flustered. 

Gellert grimaced, but did not argue back, instead he grabbed the smaller boy by the waist and guided him into his arms. They stayed like that for few blissful minutes until Albus gently pulled away. Smiling tenderly up at Gellert, he moved forward to place a kiss on his cheek and with one last look of deep longing and regret, turned to stroll back away across the rooftop. As he made his way over to the staircase, Gellert jerked his paralysed body awake, and turned in his direction. 

“Do I at least get a glass slipper or something?” he called out to Albus, with a faint trace of a smile on his lips. 

Albus turned and stared at him for a few measurable seconds, before smiling broadly himself.

“But you have my number, don’t you?” he questioned sassily. 

Gellert blinked, before giving him a wide smirk back. 

Laughing to himself, Albus turned back around and walked off down the staircase with a slight skip in his step. 

~  
He had already begun making his way down lively Brixton Rd, in the direction of the nearest bus stop when -

“Albus, hang on!” a familiar voice called out from behind him. He turned around and saw his brother bolting after him. 

“Here” said Aberforth reaching him and pulling from his apron pocket, two 20 pounds notes, “take this and get a black cab”.

Albus looked at the money curiously, then firmly shook his head. 

“I am going to get a red bus” he said to his brother calmly

“No, you’re not, mum won’t be happy with me if you do that, a black cab is safer” said Aberforth firmly

“I’m not taking your tip money Aberforth” Albus ejected stubbornly. 

“Can we please not do this right now Albus” his brother now snapped impatiently, forcing the money into Albus’s thin hand. 

Albus stared at it, then started up at his brother in exasperation. 

“Aberforth just because father is gone, does not mean you are required to take his place” he said coolly, for he was feeling rather sick of being treated like some fragile child, made even worse when it was his own younger brother doing it. 

“Well one of us fucking has to!” Aberforth snarled at him in retaliation. 

Albus stood back in horror, his throat clenching. Aberforth looked at him with stone cold eyes making him feel a slight tremble in his body. He wanted more than anything within that moment to scold his brother for such an unfair and hurtful comment, but for the sake of desperate peacekeeping, he stayed quiet (as always).

“Thank you” he said sullenly putting the money in his jean pocket, - “If you see Minerva tell her I’ve left, and that I apologise for not saying goodbye and if you do see her, can you also keep an eye on her for me please” he added

“She’s with a friend of the manager drinking scotch in the dining section, she’s fine” his brother affirmed. 

Albus nodded in response, then turned to continue walking back down the street.

“Do NOT catch a bus Albus” his brother threatened at his retreating back, making Albus cringe. 

By this point the bitterness inside of him made him want to forget all transport and just walk home instead. But even more so, the deepest and most desperate part of him wanted to stay on that rooftop lost in that magical moment with Gellert and not to be currently heading back home to his awaited life of restriction and regiment. 

If only he could be as free as the phoenix within Gellert’s song and stay with him, until the night was 'really' over. 

~

Aberforth walked back through the entrance of the pub and found himself face to face with a pair of cold heterchromic eyes. 

“You didn’t say anything about him needing to be home at a certain time” Gellert said to him in an icy voice. 

“Didn’t I?” Aberforth replied in mock innocence, “You’re right I suppose I didn’t” he added snidely and made to walk around Gellert, only to be stopped by a firm hand on his chest.

“What did you do to upset my best friend?” said Gellert in a deadly whisper, his cold expression baring into Aberforth's hot one. 

Aberforth grabbed the hand off his chest and dropped it back to Gellert’s side. 

“My favour to you and her is done” he said viciously, “I brought my brother here tonight as requested, - meaning you have nothing on me anymore and as such I don’t expect this disrespectful treatment of me to continue. But listen to me right now ‘Gellert’ and listen hard … I know you’re not finished with Albus and I know there is probably not much I can do to stop you from getting what you want, but don’t you dare think for one arrogant second that I am not going to be keeping a very close eye on you …”

He looked the startled boy up and down in disgust, then continued - 

“My brother is a very intelligent person, - but there are some things he can be very stupid about, fantasy things ... and if your manipulative little song is anything to go by, you already know full well how to lure him. He probably things you’re a knight in shining armour by this point, but I’ve seen your real side and I don’t like it one fucking bit. If you hurt my brother, I hurt you, understood? and if you sway him away from his responsibility to his family, then I’ll be there to grab him by the arm and bring him back, I will not allow what we have left to fall apart by the likes of you”.

With one last threatening look at the stunned boy in front of him, he successfully made his way around him and headed back in the direction of the second-floor bar. 

“So much for not being protective” Gellert spat sarcastically at his retreating back

“So much for me believing this job would give me the upper hand with idiots” he snarled back. 

~

With a frustrated groan, Aberforth finally made his way out into the now deserted street at 3am the following morning. Grumbling to himself, he made to remove the security chain, attaching his bike to its rack when his concentration was interrupted by a voice. The same voice that had successfully managed to do this exact thing, multiple times already this evening. 

“Nice night for a romantic bike ride”

Aberforth closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, then pulling the chain from the racks assertively, he stood up and turned to face the owner of said voice. 

“God dammit woman, you are persistent” he said exasperatedly 

“Yes, I am” said Vinda in a voice very unlike her usual happy-go-lucky one, “and you yourself, are rude and judgemental”.

Aberforth stiffened and stood silently for a few moments, He then turned away from her gaze and reached down to pull the bike away from the racks. After taking a few contemplated breaths, he looked up at her once more, a renowned uneven calmness etched on his expression. 

“It’s my defensive mechanism, if you were to know anything about my family and our current situation, you’ll understand why” he said in genuine straightforward tone. 

“I want to know everything about you” she replied brazenly, gazing at Aberforth with such desperation and sincereness, his cheeks flushed pink again. 

“No, you don’t” said Aberforth stubbornly, “my complicated life will not mix well with your outrageous one”

“I am adaptive” said Vinda determinedly, “and in response to the question you didn’t allow me to finish earlier tonight, I am not interested in you as a way of ticking something off my bucket list, I am interested in you - because I am interested in you! and Gellert and I like to poke sticks at things every so often for amusement, but we are not cruel people” she added coolly. 

“- except when you’re blackmailing others” said Aberforth in a sarcastic tone, causing Vinda to roll her eyes

“He would never have followed up on that, he just wanted your brother’s attention, the same way I’m wanting yours right now, your both very difficult people … so lost in your own sadness, so unable to see light, positivity and people around you, who I repeat, ARE interested in you” she said, with her own exasperation in her voice.

Aberforth shuffled his feet a little, very taken very back by this statement. Vinda however took a couple of unwaveringly steps forward and tilted her head up to look deeply into his sombre gaze. 

“Where are you heading?” she asked softly, nodding her head in the direction of the bike. 

“Home” said Aberforth sardonically in reply, “Where else would I be going at 3am in the morning?”

“To my home?” Vinda replied suggestively and smiling at him. 

Aberforth gulped a little, his face going pink again, Vinda however continued to smile confidently and encouragingly at him. 

‘What the hell!’

“Fine then” he said gruffly making the girl beam with glee. 

“Parfaite!” she cheered and jumped up onto Aberforth’s bike pedals that he’d been firmly gripping. 

“We’re not dating” Aberforth said to her firmly, lifting one leg over the equipment to settle into his seat

“We’re not dating” she replied robotically making herself comfortable. 

“This is just a casual thing” he said in a stern voice as he began to pedal off. 

“It’s whatever you want it to be Mon Amour” she sang back

Aberforth rode around the corner and proceeded up Brixton Rd.

“Which way?” he asked her tonelessly

“North East towards Walworth” she chirped, pointing her finger in the right direction, then began to laugh merrily amused by something.

“You are the knight and I a princess; and we are riding our stallion through the kingdom of London” she said impertinently, causing Aberforth to roll his eyes at her ridiculousness. 

“Believe me, you’re defiantly not a princess” he said to her loftly. 

“No, you’re right, I am the knight!” she agreed with a satisfied smirk, of which he couldn’t see and wouldn't know

“and this is definitely not a kingdom” he added glumly gazing around, “It’s a spalling metropolitan mess”

“You have no imagination!” Vinda shot playfully back at him, to which he scoffed. 

“Don’t shift your weight too much” he replied darkly.

They proceeded onwards and upwards through the still early morning street in the direction of the horizon. One that would in 2 hours’ time grace the city with the most magnificent sunrise, a fitting end to a very interesting night indeed. 

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (.) Gellert's song is not original because sadly I'm not a songwriter. Instead it's the song 'When the night is over' by Lord Huron, with the lyric's adapted. Song writing credit goes to Ben Schneider.
> 
> (.) Dougal McGregor is a real character created by JK Rowling, who serves as an important person in Professor Mcgonagall past.
> 
> (.) If this fan fic were a play, consider Act I to be now done. Within Act II, Ariana and Aunt Bathilda who have mostly been in the background so far, will come into further prominence. 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading x


	9. My bike is better than yours.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Needed a day off after writing the last chapter, *phew*
> 
> Also, was going to originally make their first date one whole chapter, but decided to split it out of fear of the chapter being too long, the second half will follow shortly after this so don't fret <3

9\. My bike is better than yours. 

Dear Elphias

I am really enjoying your pictures! Coolangatta and Burleigh Heads look particularly beautiful. I cannot wait for your trip up to Cairns in 3 months, Like literally! I’m am sitting on my hands waiting for images of the islands and the reef. Though the issue regarding coral bleaching due to climate change and pollution in the water is really quite devastating. I’ve been reading about it a lot in my spare time. I hope you are still able to get some nice photos to send back, that it’s still within some form of decent livelihood when you see it and the fish aren’t too unhappy. In the meantime, continue staying safe in Sydney and avoid the boxed wine, it doesn’t sound like something you should be drinking! 

Things here have gotten very interesting within the last week. Mum has now picked up Saturday shifts, which is bad in a sense that it’s going to cause tension between myself and Aberforth regarding Ariana’s babysitting. But in another way, if we can negotiate truces, its good because it allows me a chance to go places on Saturday without her knowing and panicking. Such as my date coming up on Saturday!

You asked in a previous email about the boy down the street? Well his name is Gellert, he’s been noticing me around as well, I went to his band’s gig last Friday night, he wrote me a song! and now we’re going out! I know … crazy right? I’m still coming to terms with it myself :O When our coinciding lectures allow it, myself and Minerva now sit with his band during lunch breaks at uni. Minerva is actually now in a distant sort of relationship with someone she met at that gig as well. It’s a shame I didn’t get to meet him, because the way Vinda describes him, he sounds like someone who would be really good for her. Vinda sorry, is Gellert’s best friend and the bass guitarist of his band. You’ll love this!! VInda hooked up with my brother last Friday night!! What did I tell you? things have indeed been very interesting lately!

As for Ariana, she’s unfortunately the same. I saw a small trace of who she used to be when she helped me pick out clothes online last week, and I sincerely hope to see more of that in the future. Perhaps maybe that is a strength motivator we should start playing around with? reminding her of things she loves and enjoys, such as shopping? Anything thing that reflects positivity, enjoyment and hope for her. 

Let me know when you arrive back home safe. 

All the best my dear friend

Albus.

~

“Damn” Aberforth groaned checking the time on his phone. He then set the device back down with a ‘huff’ and proceeded to roll himself off the cheap mattress he currently lay on. 

“Non” moaned a voice next to him, that then wrapped her arms around him to prevent him leaving. 

“Geoff woman” he said exasperatedly and made to remove the hands and arms away as he sat up straight, running his fingers through his bed hair for good measure. 

This was now their routine. Thursday nights after work, in which he would shortly leave after to make it home undetected before needing to get up for school. Then Friday’s nights after work, which gave him the luxury of staying until at least 7am, after which he’d have to pedal fast back home to make it there just after his mother set off for the new shift she’d picked up on Saturday. Being that it was normal for him to sleep late on the weekend after a late night at work, his lack of presence and a closed bedroom door was enough insinuation alone to suggest that he was already there, even if he wasn’t; and be it any other week it wouldn’t have mattered too much anyway because Albus would be home studying (though for the exact reason it still mattered a lot). Today however, Aberforth really did need to get home at the right time, as Albus had a date he needed to get to.

Gellert first announced his intentions to proceed with affirmed date by phone the day after the gig. At the time Albus was eager but hesitant in the sense that he would need to work a way around his responsibilities and go without his mother knowing. This naturally led to a few days of pleading with his brother to help him, of which Aberforth stubbornly ignored. That was until their mother announced that she would begin working on Saturdays from that weekend onwards, and Albus already conducting a plan in his head, looked at his brother reproachfully, a gaze which was met with an irritated “fine!” from him and raised eyebrows from their ignorant mother. So, with his brain half asleep, trying to put his clothes on in the right order against prying female hands, home was where he was heading. 

“Unless you want to bare the blunt of Gellert’s ice well, if he does not get his own way this morning that is, I suggest you let me get dressed” said Aberforth harshly, though a part of him was quite amused by her as well. 

“You think I don’t know how to handle Gellert?” Vinda questioned mockingly, whilst pulling his shirt off again. 

“Well try handling my sulking brother on top of that” said Aberfoth, snatching the shirt back and putting it firmly back on. 

“Perhaps we should continue you this at your place?” Vinda suggested, making to sit up right next to Aberforth and giving him a doting expression. 

“I don’t think so” said Aberforth coolly, “keeping things simple remember?”

“Is there any reason why things can’t be kept simple at your place?” asked Vinda with raised eyebrows. 

“Because of my family situation, remember that as well?” said Aberforth, standing up now that he had on all his clothes and had even successfully managed to get trainers back on. 

Vinda sighed and flopped back down on the bed, pulling the sheets up to cover her less modest form. 

“You still haven’t told me anything about that” she said to him resentfully, gazing glumly up at the ceiling. 

“No ... I mean, just not yet ok” said Aberforth firmly, whilst leaning down to give her a quick goodbye peck. Vinda with a quick smirk, responded to this by quickly and slyly pulling him back down onto the bed again. 

“God dammit!”

~

Albus sat at the kitchen table, fidgeting his fingers and shaking his right foot. Food was out of the question this morning as his nerves were too intense, instead he tried pitifully to drink the strong cup of tea in front of him to little or no success. He had already checked on Ariana this morning and had made her a cup of tea as well. She’d told him pitifully that her anxiety was too intense for food that morning as well, so as it seemed, they’d both be heading into the morning without said – most important meal of the day. 

‘Where is Aberforth?’ he thought desperately to himself.

Their mother had just left for her 9am starting job, meaning Aberforth in order to sneak back into the house undetected from his late-night rendezvous, should be arriving back shortly and he better! because Gellert had arranged to pick him up at precisely 8:30am. 

~

Gellert throughout the week had been keeping his plans for this day an unsolvable mystery. When Albus told him about his mother working on Saturday and his brother being home to mind Ariana, the boy practically leaped ‘woohoo-ing’ into the air and cartwheeled around their lunch table with glee, to the befuddled laughter of Albus, fond eye roll of Vinda and stern look of disapproval from Minerva. 

“Perfect!” he announced settling back into the bench space that he’d been sharing with Albus, “I can literally do exactly what I want to do”

“- and what is it that exactly?” Albus pressed him eagerly, as Vinda perhaps knowingly, snorted into her can of Coke No-Sugar. 

“We’re going to The Tower of London to free the ravens!!” said Gellert promptly, turning to give his better half a peck on the cheek. 

Minerva choked on her own can of coke. 

“You’ll get arrested trying to do that!” she said ballistically, to which Gellert sniggered and Vinda rolled her eyes once more. 

“Relax Minerva, animal rights aside, he’s only joking” she said patting the girl’s hand gently. 

“I dunno” Gus commented from the other end of the table through a mouthful of burger, “This is a guy who got expelled from school after all …” 

There was an awkward silence at the table for a few seconds, that was then broken by Gellert himself. 

“Thanks Gus’ he said snidely to his drummer. 

“Just telling it how it is mate” he replied shrugging. 

“You got expelled?” said Albus blinking at him in surprise.

“What on earth did you do?” added Minerva horrified, narrowing both eyebrows at him. 

Gellert didn’t’ answer, rather solemnly picked at his food and after a set of exchanged looks, his band mates chose sympathetically to stand in for him.

“He had an affair with one of his teachers” Xavior confessed from next to Gus 

“- then set fire to the principal’s desk in revenge when said teacher got fired” added Vinda giving her best friend a meaningful look. 

“Then came here to live with my aunt when my parents decided they didn’t want me living at home anymore” said Gellert darkly, “what can I say? I have a thing for educators …” he added turning his meaningful eye’s to Albus’, who gave him a bleak look in response. 

“But” he added turning his attention now back to his food and firmly stabbing his fork through a French fry, the same way a colonial would stab a flag into the ground upon discovering and setting foot into a new world, “That was a long time ago and I’m a much more rational person now”

Xavior scoffed and Gellert shot him a dark look. 

“I am” he snarled at him defensively, then turned back to Albus once more, “I am” he added in a slightly softer and more urgent tone of voice. 

Albus smiled at him tenderly and Gellert with relief, chose that moment to give him yet another kiss, this time Eskimo style on the nose making Albus giggle slightly

“Get a room” Gus groaned, chucking his own and now empty can of coke at Gellert’s head. 

~

Albus sighed and looked at the time on his planet watch once more. 8:25am

‘Come on Aberforth … hurry up’! he thought frantically, brushing his fingers through his hair in stress. 

Suddenly he jumped rapidly in his seat, hands dropping quickly back down to his sides as a high pitched, loud revving noise came from outside. Startled, he moved timidly from his seat and walked slowly over to the front door, that he opened only a little at first to peak out, then jerked it all the way open as a result of sudden shock.

“Good Morning Mein Liebling” Gellert called out enthusiastically from the source of noise, which to Albus’ astonishment was the large motorbike he was currently sat on and that he had parked vertically in front of their pavement. 

For the past year Gellert and his aunt had been taking lessons at training centre up in Dalston each Sunday morning as a sort of Aunt-Nephew bonding activity. Now that Gellert had passed his hours and had successfully emerged from his test with a brand new spanking license, he had been beyond eager to hire a bike and give the brawling streets of Central London a run for their money; and what better way to do it then with his stunning date, saddled and showcased behind him. 

“Umm” said Albus slowly in response as he stood there completely flabbergasted, “Gellert … what?” he added now completely stricken

“I thought we could go for ride to a special spot, one of my favourite places in the city, what do you say?” said Gellert cheerfully, gazing up at the other boy fondly who in turn stood rooted to the spot. 

“I can’t ride on that thing!” Albus burst out, looking at the vehicle like it might come alive any second, roll its way menacingly up the front steps and wipe him out. 

“Sure, you can” said Gellert reassuringly, “Just wrap your arms around my shoulders and you’ll be fine … I promise” he added gently, taking into consideration the boy’s fearful state. 

“What the hell is going on?” came the angry voice, of the said boys rough, unleaded younger brother currently riding towards the scene on his own, less noisy and much tamer bike. 

“I’m taking your brother for a ride on a real bike” Gellert called back to him in response, while looking at the other bike mockingly, “One he does not need to stand up on” he added sneering 

Aberforth didn’t answer Gellert, but instead shot a discontented look up at his older brother.

“You’ve got to be kidding me” he snarled in his direction, “Your –“

His words were cut off by some more playful revving of the bike’s engine and he instead turned his attention to Gellert’s smirking face and shot him a glowering look. 

“You don’t do things half and half do you?” he snarled “do you even know how to properly ride that thing? what if –“

Aberforth voice was cut off once more by revving, though this time with Gellert shooting off from his parked spot and playfully riding the bike round and around in circles within the small space of street in front of them. 

“I WANT TO RIDE MY BIIIIIIICYLE! I WANT TO RIDE MY BIIIIIIIKE” he sang blatantly over the noise.

“SHUT UP!” Aberforth roared at him.

“Why?” said Gellert parking the motorbike once more, “It’s an English classic you unpatriotic –“

“OK” said Albus in a loud, clear voice, raising his hands into the air to regain order, all whilst politely ignoring the laughs coming from their next-door neighbour David’s window.

“Ok” he then repeated calmly staring between his brother and Gellert to make sure that they really had both ceased arguing. 

“Ok Gellert” he then said staring down at the young man in question, “I do trust you, let me just grab my bag and we can go” he added turning and disappearing back into the house. 

“I don’t” said Aberforth harshly, moving to park his bike next to the steps. 

“No one cares” said Gellert loftily 

Albus remerged from the house and with something caught between a sigh and a whimper, steadily moved towards Gellert and his monstrous vehicle. Gellert jumped down from the bike, stabilised it with the stand, then made to help lift Albus up on to the seat. Content that the other boy was secured on top of the vehicle, he then leaped back onto it himself, in the space closest to the handle bars. Aberforth scowled at them and began making his way up the steps in the direction of the front door Albus had only just abandoned. 

“If this is how your dates are going go, don’t expect me to stick my neck out for you against mum anymore” Aberforth snarled over his shoulder.

“Nice talking to you Abe” said Gellert waving his comment off and smirking as Aberforth let out a final dismaying groan and slammed the door behind him. 

“Right” said Gellert happily starting up the engine, “You ready?” he then added considerately to the boy behind him. 

“mmhmm” Albus whimpered, wrapping his arms around Gellert and holding onto him for dear life. 

“You’ll be fine” said Gellert reassuringly to him once more, “Just don’t shift you weight too much”.

With that the bike reverted out of the space and blazed down the street. 

A pair of twinklingly blue eyes from a room on the house’s second storey, curiously and with a small smile etched on her face, watched them go. 

~

When the noise from the bike had faded off into the distance, Ariana walked back over to her bed where she sat down and sighed in contemplation. ‘Albus has found himself a boyfriend’ she mused ‘and one who wears leather, plays guitars and rides motorbikes” she grabbed the strands of her hair and almost squealed with giddiness at the delight of it all. 

For so very long now her eldest brother who she loved so very much, had walked around from day to day, with heavy shoulders and a sad distant look on his face. He’d spend much of their growing up life like that and she knew it was due to the way their mother treated him. Herself and Aberforth had always been gifted with something Albus never once had. They could pave the life they wanted and had the freedom of choice to do what that wished, with all the time in the world to do it. Albus however had always been an extension of their mother and the life he lived in comparison was reflective of that. There was always some competition he needed to enter and study for, or some event she wanted him to go to and meet people. She was controlling of his time and was for a while getting away with deciding his life for him. That was of course, until their father had stepped in and changed things. 

Albus had put so much hope into his approved trip overseas, Ariana knew that it was an opportunity for him to find his own independence and be free of the silly regiments she did not envy him for. However, it was her own foolishness, her own dishonestly and now her own inability to move forward that had caused that dream to be ripped away from him … it was all her fault!! Suddenly that moment of bliss became clouded with the same darkness that never ceased to haunt her days and she began to tremble. Now it was even worse than before, now their mother was more controlling of him than ever, ‘all my fault, all my fault, all my fault’ she chanted in her brain. 

‘No’ she then told herself firmly in a vast attempt to regain control over the darkness, ‘No!’. She thought of the blonde boy, she thought of how she saw within him, - a rebellious, foolhardily and fearless streak. She saw the way he had softly handled her brother, with all the care and attention in the world and she had observed the glowing look on her brother face. She thought of movies that narrated such similar stories. Stories of someone wild, reckless and handsome, pulling a shy, reserved and do-no-wrong someone else from their lifeless stupor and injecting them with a newfound sense of freedom, virtue and independence. She thought of her brother and his need to escape the lifestyle he was trapped in and wondered whether it would be this boy do it. Would he be the one to bring happiness and joy into her brothers’ days? The thought of her brother’s joy flickered a shimmer of hope within herself. A reminder that there are those within the world who do good onto others. That there a real boys and men in the world who do provide love and care, rather than hurt and fear. She pondered that thought some more, thinking about how fear of seeing a very different boy in the school or out on the streets made her stay her home and how overtime she’d come to convince herself that all strangers in the world were that boy. The fear turned into sadness, turned into bitterness, turned into grief and dismay, as she spent continuous days wishing to erase the past and knowing full well, she couldn’t. Unable to smile, unable to leave the house, unable to see joy in anything, wrecked with the guilt of what she was doing to her family, all the while feeling too powerless and weak to emerge out of it. 

‘You’re not weak’ she thought battling against herself, ‘You’re not!’

She then stood up and began moving slowly step by step towards the door of her room. ‘Stay there’ her stammered a thought directed at the invisible and ever-present darkness, ‘stay there and leave me alone!’ she instructed of it; and with that final command, she banged her bedroom door loudly behind her as she left the room. 

“Ariana” her other brother called up at her in alarm rushing into the hallway, “Are you alright? What’s going on?” He then made to climb the steps towards her, but she held one hand up firmly as if motioning him to stay. 

“I’m ok” she said quietly and with bare feet, walked softly down the stairs and into the hallway. Aberforth stared at her in alarm and bewilderment as she then slowly made her way past him in and direction of the front door. There she stood and stared at this fortress barrier which in her mind, kept her safe. Safe from that boy, safe from all those like him and safe from herself making yet another bad decision. She glared at it for good measure, then drew out a long, heavy but utterly determined sigh and pushed forward. 

“Ariana” said her brother weakly from behind her.

Ignoring him, she placed her small hand on the doorknob and slowly opened it letting the daylight into the foyer. She blinked a little at the morning sunlight that had not directly graced her presence for some time now and breathed in the warm air. Being it was spring after all; the air was thick with floral scenes and that familiar feeling of cold breaking away to make ready for the arrival of summer. She shot a gaze up and down the street and smiled faintly to herself. There is such a feeling one gets, when they walk out into the open air for the first time in a long while. It can almost be treated as a reminder of how large and full of possibly the world is, when finds themselves not restricted to the walls of rooms and things otherwise. Slowly and timidly, she made her way down the steps to sit in a particular patch of sunlight near Aberforth’s bike. Whilst there, she smiled once more as she watched a couple of yellow mating butterflies flutter past. She wondered if given the highly unrealistic and absurd opportunity that the two would become humans, which of the pair would be the one to ride the bike?

~

Albus screamed as the motorbike shot down terraced street after terraced street, sliding corners and accelerating rapidly down straight-line laneways, all whilst narrowly wavering in and out of other cars on the road. 

“SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT” he shrieked hysterically as Gellert cut a particularly sharp corner, then accelerated onwards past Battersea Power Station and down Nine Elms Lane (Albus never swore, but now was a highly appropriate time to). His demeanour stayed like that through most of the south side of the river until Gellert finally came to a halt at the traffic lights near Vauxhall Overground. 

“Are you ok?” Gellert called back to him over the noise of the engine.

Albus took a deep overwhelming breath, then was suddenly smiling broadly

“Yes …. Oh my god, Yes!!!” he cried out, making Gellert laugh joyously. 

“Hang on” Gellert responded gleefully.

At the sudden turning of the lights, he rapidly accelerated around the corner past the creepy James Bond Building, across Vauxhall bridge where the gleaming structures of The Palace of Westminster and its Clock Tower (Big Ben) and The London Eye could be seen within a short distance and sleekly down Vauxhall Bridge Road towards Victoria. By this point Albus’s screams had turned into delightful laughter and cheering and Gellert feeling highly satisfied and smug, made past Cardinal Place and onwards north, scooting past Buckingham Palace for good measure. 

~

By time the pair had reached their destination, Albus was feeling incredibly whiplashed and wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’d lost his voice. 

“See?” encouraged Gellert, who had already jumped off the bike, stabilized it with the stand and now turned to Albus taking both his hands into his own, “That wasn’t so bad was it?”

“That was amazing” Albus replied blinking rapidly, “I’ve never felt so on edge and yet so jubilant at the same time before” he then added excitedly. 

Gellert laughed heartedly and lifted him off the bike and into a standing position on the pavement.

“It’s called adrenaline Liebling” he said brushing Albus’ windswept hair back, “You’ll get a lot off that while you’re with me” he added with a wink, making Albus smile weakly back at him. 

Gellert stared fondly at him for a few more seconds then bent down to quickly peck him on the lips. 

“Come” he said gently into Albus’ ear then lead him from the pavement and onto a footpath leading into a green space. 

Albus knew where they were, he’d been here before plenty of times. The posh suburb full of high-end housing and quaint cafes, was home to some of his mother and father’s former friends. It was also home to a very peaceful area containing what could be at times, one of the most majestic views of London, from the top of its park that slopped up a hill, aka Primrose Hill. It was a view that was forever changing due to the constant addition of new skyscrapers. Even now cranes littered the horizon threatening there was plenty more to come. Last time Albus was here however was a while back, before his shamed family had moved across to the south side of the river.

The two of them stepped over the lookout space and settled onto the grass, Gellert lying down with his hands supporting his head, Albus sat upright with his arms supporting his knees. 

“I love it here” Gellert confirmed quietly, with a trace of sentiment within his voice, “My aunt used to like taking me here, it’s one of the first places I ever visited in London and memory of some of best days I ever had as a teenager, which I tell you … most memories weren’t that great” he added bitterly, making Albus wince a little. 

“The same aunt you live with now?” he asked the other boy interested. 

“Yes” Gellert confirmed happily, “My Aunt Bathilda, the person who taught me my life motto”

“and what is that?” asked Albus bemused.

“Follow your dreams, be yourself always and live the life you want” he confirmed turning his head to gaze at Albus, frowning a little when he noticed the now betrodden look on the other boy’s face.

Albus turned his head away and started pulling small blades of grass from their roots. 

“My mother has never said anything like that to me in my life” he said quietly, aggressively pulling out a particularly stubborn blade of grass, that could be interpreted by observation as some form of symbolic retaliation. 

Gellert frowned at him, before sitting up and wrapping his tattooed arms around frail, delicate shoulders. 

“Neither did my mum” he said sympathetically nuzzling Albus’ ear. 

Albus shuddered slightly at the pleasant touch then turned sincere eyes towards Gellert. 

“How did you do it?” he asked perplexed to the boy holding him. 

“Did what?” the said boy replied asked in confusion. 

“Ran away … just left? Like it’s not the scariest thing in the world” Albus pressed him formidably 

“I didn’t run away Liebling” said Gellert firmly, “I was kicked out of home, there’s a difference … but luckily I had my aunt and luckily in a roundabout way, its turned out to be the best thing that’s ever happened to me” he added sincerely, giving Albus a very telling look that made the boy blush. 

“Your aunt sounds like a wonderful woman” said Albus genuinely ditching the grass pulling, to instead stroke Gellert’s chest.

“She is” Gellert confirmed proudly “and she’s very eager to meet you if you can spare a few minutes to drop in this afternoon after we’re done here” he added with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Albus’ face automatically brightened. 

“I’d love to” said Albus keenly, making Gellert smile deeply at him. 

He then shifted the slighter boy closer to him and laid them back down on the grass to blissfully enjoy the view some more. Albus feeling content, closed his eyes and huddled closer to the older boy’s chest whilst Gellert breathing in his scent, moved his hand to gently stroke his hair. 

~

Since the moment her lovestruck nephew first mentioned him and confirmed he lived down the street, Bathilda had indeed developed her own interest in the redhead. An interest that strongly evolved each time he was brought up in conversation. On one night in particular, she sat twiddling her fingers on her glass of wine in amusement, watching her nephew rambling on and on about how the mysterious boy down the street had sat opposite him on the train, how he was enrolled to study education, how he’d picked up a tutoring job within mere weeks of starting first year, how word was he was brilliantly minded and vastly intelligent having received perfects scores for the first semester, how this … how that! etc, etc, etc. Then at the conclusion of the night after laying a blanket on Gellert due to him having fallen asleep on the couch, she knew this was a situation she needed to look into further. 

Which is exactly what she did the following night by inviting the family’s next-door neighbour David into her home, whilst Gellert was out clubbing with Vinda. 

“So, tell me about him?” Bathilda inquired, pouring the man a glass of full bodied shiraz, “he must be something extra-terrestrial if my boisterous nephew can’t even work up the courage to do down there and speak to him and way he talks about him as well …”

David chortled and swirled the liquid around in its glass before sniffing the aroma. 

“He’s a good kid by my observation” said the man thoughtfully, “I don’t see him much though … while his brother is out in the courtyard often and comes home and leaves at steady times, the other doesn’t … he sometimes comes home quite late at night and he mostly lives up in his attic room, reading books and constantly studying …”

“Gellert says he’s one of the more highly accomplished students at the university?” Bathilda confirmed, taking a slow sip of her own wine. 

“I don’t doubt that at all” agreed David, “also, while his brother has a temper on him, Albus is by far the more placid of the two, always very polite and respectful, to the point of being almost shy and timid, clearly his mother’s favourite from way I’ve seen Kendra look at him”

“Hmmmm” Bathilda murmured, swirling her wine around in its glass, “a quiet, peaceful bookworm, with good grades and a calm even temper” she then smiled and leant back into her chair, “Sounds like the grounding force my nephew may need” she added pensively. 

“No doubt” said David smiling warmly at her, “If anyone is going to calm Gellert down and install sensibility into him it’s this kid” he then took another sip of his wine and settled it on the table, “though I tell you Bathilda, I think Gellert may be good for him as well”

“How so?” Bathilda asked curiously, with slightly raised eyebrows.

“Because sometimes when I see him he looks very unhappy …” said David glumly, “I can’t tell you the specifics of what goes on in that household, but I know for a fact that his sister isn’t well, his mother is his mother and him and his brother argue a lot, I think in a way … your wild and crazy nephew may be good for giving the poor kid a break and installing some life and fun into him” he added in a matter of fact tone. 

Bathilda didn’t response, rather sat nursing her glass of wine and starting at her ceiling as if lost in deep thought. 

David watched her intently before breaking the silence. 

“What are you thinking of doing?” he asked her with a smirk. 

“Nothing” said Bathilda innocently, and she meant it, “Nothing, I’m honestly going to let this one come to terms on its own, - to which I have a sneaky suspicion it’s going to, that is unless of course my idiotic nephew finds a way of cheating his way in first …” she added rolling her eyes

“Oh, he’ll defiantly cheat his way in” said David sniggering. 

“Yes” said Bathilda smiling fondly and taking another sip of her wine, “he will … and this time I look heavily forward to it …”

~

“Don’t go to sleep” whispered Gellert teasingly into Albus’ hair, “The day is still new, and we have more places to go to” he added gently lifting Albus up from his stupor and proceeding to sit upwards himself.

Albus groaned and rubbed his eyes, “Of course” he said thickly, then turned brightly to Gellert, “where are we riding to next?”

“Walking” Gellert corrected and made to stand, offering his hands down to Albus and pulling him up as well, “Where we’re going next isn’t far from here”.

Primrose Hill sat north across the road from Regent’s Park in Central London, Albus’ forehead creased as he thought rapidly as to where Gellert had been planning to go next.

“London Zoo?” he asked curiously, “I wouldn’t have thought that’d be your thing?”

“Guess again” said Gellert cheerfully, taking his hand and leading him to the pathway that slopped down the hill

“Erm” murmured Albus thoughtfully and thinking about what else was close by within the area “A stroll around Regent’s Canal” he asked curiously

“Yes, but doing so, on our way to Camden markets” Gellert confirmed smiling broadly. 

Albus froze and Gellert turned to look at him.

“Everything ok?” he inquired with concern, though his eyes widened a little upon seeing Albus’ expression, which as the same one a kid would have knowing they were about to do something very naughty and being ecstatic by it. 

“I’ve never been” said Albus’ breathlessly, “we’re never been allowed, it’s a place mother highly disapproves of” he added with a wicked expression. 

Gellert grinned at him. 

“Welcome to a world of doing things outside what you family approves of” he coaxed, “and trust me … it’s a lot of fun” he then added with an evil smirk.

Grabbing Albus’ hand once more, he began guiding him forward more swiftly than before and Albus in response, eagerly allowed himself to be led. Knowing that by this point in their relationship, he would follow Gellert anywhere.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The motorbike section was inspired from a scene in film 'Looking for Alibrandi" 
> 
> Also from an artwork I want to upload and show, but haven't figured out how to do that yet, gah!
> 
> Thanks to those who have given recent Kudos <3


	10. Symbols and their meanings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay ...
> 
> It was Father's Day in my country yesterday so my weekend got busy. Also I wasn't going to upload this chapter until figuring out how to add images so I could show you all a sketch of Gellert's tattoo, so thank you very much to fellow author slxuliop for her assistance 
> 
> Oh well, please see notes for other info relating to this chapter.
> 
> Hope this one wasn't too cheesy.

10\. Symbols and their meanings 

Gellert lead Albus along the canal pathway and eventually up a ramp leading into one of the quirkier areas of the city. Moving past markets stalls they found themselves on the main street near a massive sign placed across the border of an overhead trainline reading ‘Camden Lock”.

Albus’ blinked a few times whilst gazing around and taking everything in. It became apparent almost within a matter of seconds why his mother disliked the place and why Gellert loved it. There was a real bohemian vibe to this area of town. Buildings up and down the main street were painted with murals advertising various streetwear brands such as Dr Martens boots and Converse trainers. On some of the buildings were large figurines of the same fashionable products had been crafted and displayed outwardly as communal art pieces. There were piercers and tattoo parlours, shops selling leather products, music memorabilia and sweets imported from the USA. Alongside the common tourists and residents, there was an array of incredibly interesting characters. Those who looked trapped within the 1970’s punk era stood around chatting outside Camden Town Underground. A street performer entertained a group of Asian tourists on the canal bridge near where they stood, using some high volume hip hop music and a man who was the spitting image of a young Rod Stewart stood in one of the shop windows, re-outfitting a mannequin that now wore some goth like tartan dress that Albus knew would scandalise Minerva if she ever saw it.

“I honestly can’t believe you haven’t been here before” said Gellert contently, looking down the main street fondly, the same way someone stepping off a plane after a long journey would gaze fondly at their home surroundings.

“Well no” Albus confirmed flabbergasted, “I erm … I grew up in Holland Park” he added thickly, as a way of attempting to explain things.

Gellert simply laughed, and took his hand,

“Well then dignified posh boy, let me introduce you to my chaotic underworld” he said slyly leading Albus back towards the market area on the north side of the canal, “Its way more interesting” he added over his shoulder and Albus from what he had seen so far, didn’t doubt him one bit.

Within this section, pop up stalls were scattered across old cobblestone walkways, selling an array of such things, like Indian lamps, second-hand books, manga figurines and vegan brownies. It was here that Gellert spent time showing Albus’ different stalls in which his Aunt Bathilda had over the years, brought trinkets to serve as home décor, in addition to clothing retailers that had assisted Gellert to establish his sense of fashion.

“I’ve haven’t really told you much about my own background” said Gellert considerably whilst perusing through a rack of denim jackets in a store that sold nothing else, “The way you describe your mother, sounds exactly similar to mine, but whereas your mother sounds heavily invested, mine though still controlling, kept an emotional barrier up and did things from a distance”, he said all with a surprisingly indifferent tone. With eager eye’s, he pulled out a dark denim jacket with a faux fur interior that he then motioned for Albus to try on.

“Being the heir of the family, I was forced to conform in the way that was expected” he said gently helping Albus into the jacket, “which included a very high standard form of dressing” he added snidely. “But then I spent a day here with my aunt when I first came to visit her on my own in London” he continued, “we took in the views at Primrose Hill which you just saw, then afterwards like we are now, we came here to this place that doesn’t try to conform to anything and it was here I first began to discover my own style, which is a metaphor for myself beginning to discover who I was and likewise, who I didn’t want to be anymore” he added now admiring the jacket he had successfully placed Albus’ into.

“- and it was here you first began to really envision a life of freedom away from it all” said Albus knowingly, completing this statement for him. He gazed wistfully at his appearance in the mirror, the jacket also had on it, a couple of patches and a small green pin, it was perhaps the most interesting thing he had ever worn even if for now he was merely trying it on.

“Yes” said Gellert softly, while brushing small bits of fluff from the denim gracing Albus’ shoulders.

Albus smiled longingly at him through their reflections in the mirror, though Gellert did not the smile and instead frowned slightly.

“You know?” he whispered softly, wrapping his arms possessively around Albus, “You don’t always have to be, who they want you to be” he added giving Albus’ reflection a meaningful look.

Albus met the frown but said nothing, rather he began fidgeting with the green pin sewed into a space near the jacket pocket, lost in sad contemplation.

“I like this jacket” he said dolefully, casting his eye’s down to the floor, to him it was as if both the apparel and Gellert’s words were far out of any sort of reach to him.

“Then it is yours” insisted Gellert, rectifying his previous thought and making to remove the jacket from Albus’ small frame.

“No … Gellert” Albus’ begun to anxiously protest.

“Shhh Liebling” Gellert soothed, caressing his cheek with his ringed fingers once more, “Nothing is out of limits for you, not so long as I’m around” he added bending to kiss Albus’s forehead tenderly then with a skip and a whistle, walked off in the direction of the counter where a heavily studded women with red and black hair gave him an expression of admirable interest.

Albus shivered slightly now that the absence of the jacket had once more revealed his light cotton coated shoulders and arms to the outdoor elements, ‘nothing is out of limits when it comes to you’ he repeated in his mind lightheadedly, ‘nothing is out of limits’ …

~

From there Gellert had insisted taking to Albus’ to a jeweller that he liked very much. There in the small tucked away space in the far corner of the former royal horse stables, between a vintage vinyl seller and a tapestry producer, they gazed admirably over an array of unique sterling silver rings and pendants with black leather necklace cords.

“I got this from here” said Gellert removing a ring from his left index finger and passing it to Albus for closer inspection “when I was 15” he added watching Albus fondly, who now had the ring in his close up vision and was studying the engraving – “I really don’t know what that symbol means, but something about it attracted me”

Albus ceased inspecting the ring and handed it back gently to Gellert, a smug look etched on his face.

“It’s Nordic” he confirmed expertly, “An ancient Viking symbol, its means ‘gjør det man alltid må til det bedre’ or ‘do what one must always for the greater good’.

Gellert stood looking dumbfounded at Albus’ who in turn blushed and looked down at his feet.

“My grandfather on my dad’s side is Norwegian” he said bashfully, “he had a book full of Viking symbols and I used to sit cross legged on the floor reading it when dinners went for far too long and I was bored” he added gazing back up at Gellert shyly who was giving him an unreadable expression.

“I guess in a way it fits you” Albus added quickly, “because in a roundabout way you do! - do things for the greater good that is, that thing you pulled with Aberforth brought us together, set him up with Vinda … and if I never went that night, Minerva would never have come and she would never have met that guy she now constantly messages between classes …”

Suddenly Gellert's expression softened and he graced Albus' with a smile that reflected intense admiration and fondness.

“Mein Liebling” he chortled gazing reverently at the other boy, “your cleverness and way of thinking never ceases to amaze me” he added sincerely

“Oh, it’s just memory, from something I read” said Albus modestly staring down at his feet again, “I must ask though … what made you decide to get it tattooed on your exterior?” he added giggling slightly.

“Oh, so you’re the Peeping Tom?” said Gellert now very amused.

“No, you’re the chauvinistic” Albus retorted staring back up at Gellert with a cheeky expression, “I was just walking past your house at the time”

“Sure, you were” Gellert sniggered, earning a bemused look from Albus. Gellert then cleared his throat as if about to tell a very interesting and adventurous tale to a group of young eager preschool children.

“Well to put facts straight” he started importantly, “It’s not the only thing on there”

“No” Albus agreed heartedly, “there is also a phoenix, like from your song the other night and it appears to be flying towards the sun”

“That’s a symbol I do know about and understand” said Gellert factorially, “A great and powerful bird full of beauty and strength and when it dies it is reborn from its ashes to start a new life, so to me, like finding hope in a new day which is the image of the sun, the symbol of the phoenix is a reminder that when one crashes and burns, there is always a chance to pick yourself back up again and start anew”

He took a strong breath before adding – “it is a reminder to never burn out and to instead keep moving forward towards new prospects, even become a new person should you wish too … to always move in the direction of the sunlight and not towards some dark place that once there, it’s very difficult to come back out”

Gellert gazed intently at Albus who had once again gone distantly quiet, feeling an unspoken word hanging in the air, Gellert grabbed Albus’s hand in his own and lifted his chin up to meet his own eyes.

“In a way, it’s a reminder to myself of the strength I have as a person” he whispered to the other boy gently, “As I mentioned early today, in getting expelled and kicked out of home, that could have easily have become the worse thing to ever happened to me and I allowed it to be so for a time. But eventually, I found strength needed to started a new life and I am happier within this one, than I’ve ever was within the previous one, perhaps it was yet another thing that was done unintentionally for the greater good” he added as an afterthought.

“There a phoenix in sky” Albus murmured softly, repeating the lyrics of Gellert’s song back to him, who responded by nodding firmly.

“There always is” he said to the boy in front of him, “there is always hope”.

They stood for a few seconds in contemplated silence that was broken by Albus, who having now moved past his dark spell was giggling once more. 

“So again … why your bum?” he asked with great fascination.

“Ok that was literally a practical joke” said Gellert in a matter of fact tone, “I was going to get it done anyway, but then a weekend in Ibiza caused a slight deviation in my original laid out plans. Basically, Vinda and I were nursing our hangovers out near the pool and she suggested going and getting tattoo’s done cause its cheaper over there then it is here. She then dared me to get one done on my bum and she would in return, get one done on one of her boobs. Only I didn’t realise it was the 1st of April and she had no intention of doing any such thing; and had I not had such a bad hangover at the time, I’d of realised that in hindsight because she loves her boobs way too much to ever consider inking them”

Albus laughed as Gellert rolled his eyes and huffed loudly, causing a few wisps of blonde hair to blow back over his forehead.

“Oh well” he said shrugging, “it’s a part of me now …”

“- and I suppose like the ring it also suits you” said Albus brushing his own hair back, “No one other than you would be so outrageous to do such a thing and if its any consolation, I like the symbolism very much … my grandfather, the same one who owned that book, had this silly tale he used to tell my brother, my sister and myself sometimes after a few glasses of scotch. About an ancestor of ours, dying in the fields of battle and a phoenix coming to him and saving him after sensing his great peril, it’s a bit absurd ... but made my ears definitely perked up when you mentioned a phoenix in your song”

“I think you are a phoenix” Gellert inserted firmly earning a surprised look from Albus “a beautiful, majestic thing, that radiates light” he added making the other boy blush once more, “- and if that truly did happen to your ancestor, then it certainly explains why you yourself are so special”

He stepped closer to Albus, so that they were now merely centimetres apart. .

“I don’t know fully what’s going on within your current life, within your family … but I am not naïve, I sense that something is not right, and I care … I care very deeply in fact! - if you would allow me to assist, I can help you to break you away from it and you should! because you are a person who deserves the word and I think maybe right now you are not currently getting it? I’d like to be someone who can help you live again, the same way as a phoenix …”

Albus stood frozen as Gellert began caress his upper arms in a soothing gesture.

“When you feel like you can, I’d like to know and understand everything” said Gellert gently, “Everything about your sister …” he pressed knowingly and giving Albus a soft and understanding expression.

Albus whimpered slightly and buried himself in Gellert’s strong arms, - tucking himself away from the outside world so he could concentrate only on this one, the one that involved Gellert with all his reassurance, hopes and promises

“I think I also want to buy a ring” said Albus quietly breathing in Gellert’s scent once more then with slight hesitance, remerging from his new cradle of safety and moved back over towards the jewellery stall. There he stood and looked down at his desired item, one he had noticed from the corner of his eye when Gellert had shown him his own ring.

“May I please purchase this one” he said politely to the tender who nodded and made for a chest where he kept his extra stock not out on display.

“A small, medium or large?” he asked Albus’ gruffly

“Erm, perhaps small I guess” Albus’ replied, “my fingers are quite narrow”

The man stood back up and presented Albus’ with a small piece of jewellery.

“That’ll be 25 pounds lad” he said, then nodded in appreciation when Albus’ presented him with the exact right amount of money (the more coins and small notes, the better and easier).

“Cheers” he said and deposited the money away as Albus with a slight skip in his step walked back over to Gellert.

“What did you get?” Gellert asked interested, then warmed to the sight of a small ring with a strange and familiar engraving, a triangle with a circle in the middle and vertical line passing through.

“- for the greater good” said Albus in a way of both responding to and finalising all previous questions and discussions, which made Gellert in response, beam triumphantly. For it wasn’t like a blood pact or anything, but an unmistakeable gesture of faithfulness none the less.

~

After spending the rest of day pursuing around more stalls and sharing a bag of hot chips with salt and vinegar for lunch (that Albus’ having regained his appetite ate gratefully), the two slowly and blissfully made their way back along the canal in the direction of Regents Park and Primrose Hill. Once back at the bike, Albus in a blissful daze did not anticipate Gellert surprisingly lifting him into the air from behind and spinning him around before setting him back on the bike. The vehicle rocked slightly at first, but the stand and Gellert’s strong arms kept both him and it in place.

Albus pink faced from laughing, gazed up adoringly at the other boy who in turn looked at him in the most ravenous expression. 

“You make me want to jump over the moon” he proclaimed boldly, making Albus’ pink face turn red once more.

“You’ll get lost in space” he stammered back, making Gellert burst out laughing.

“Amongst other things that may happen … sorry liebling, it was the first romantic statement that came into my head” he said unapologetically.

“Got any others?” asked Albus, his lips quirking in amusement.

“Did anyone ever tell you that the gods in heaven chose the two most beautiful stars in all the galaxy and gifted them to you as your sparkling eyes? the same ones that have me starstruck” he sang boisterously, not a trace of seriousness at all in his voice.

“Oh god…” Albus moaned with discontentment, making Gellert laugh once more.

His gleeful expression however like the changing of traffic lights, suddenly became a very serious. He gazed down strongly at Albus, who in turn became shy and timid as opposed to confident and self-assured. 

“You’re the most gorgeous boy I’ve ever laid eyes on … and your clever, as well as sweet, kind and cute; and you make me feel something I’ve never felt before, I really like you a lot … is that any better?” he asked hopefully to Albus smiled back at him weakly 

“Yes, much better” he said breathlessly, “and ditto”

Gellert smiled broadly, then lent down to meet the other boys’ lips with his own, this time however it was longer and more desperate than any of the kisses they had shared so far before.

And it made Albus feel for the first time in a long time, that he really could be happy.

~

“Oh Christ!” Bathilda moaned from her front step, observing the arrival of the two boys, “Gellert I thought you were joking!” she added exasperatedly, burying her face in her hands.

“You know me better Aunty” came her nephews’ cheeky response, “- and besides Albus enjoyed it, didn’t you liebling?” he coaxed the other boy, who responded by nodding his head eagerly.

“Yes, in fact, it was a lot of fun” he added in agreement, while looking up at the aunt with great curiosity.

His own Aunt Honoria was one to wear dignified dresses or tailored pants, she was always in heavy make-up and always had on some strong-smelling Chanel perfume. The woman he saw in front of him was a completely different display altogether and an image his mother would likely cringe at. She had on wide-leg hippy pants, a pair of white Birkenstocks, a loose-fitting graphic tee with a realistic picture of the band Led Zeppelin and their logo displayed across the front and her long blonde hair – same colour as Gellert’s, was flicked casually over one shoulder, she wore no make-up and had a small stud pierced into one side of her nose.

The kind looking woman now having removed her turquoise finger nailed hands from her face, shot her nephew a look as if to say ‘really …’ before turning kind eyes and a much softer expression towards Albus’.

“Hello, my darling” she said merrily down at him, “what an absolute pleasure to finally meet you! you’re all this loony ever talks about anymore” she added shooting her nephew another look, this time more playful, “I’m his Aunt Bathilda, come on up” she said gesturing him forward up the steps.

“Thank you” said Albus timidly walking up towards her, “its lovely to meet you also, I’m Albus” he added raising a hopeful hand towards her.

“Oh yes I know ...” she said in a matter of fact tone and ignoring the hand, pulled him in for a quick motherly hug instead.

Albus caught off guard, blushed into her shoulder and with gentle hands she steadied him whilst stepping back to observe him up close.

“You’re as pretty as he says” she said giving Gellert a nod of approval “and if hear from my friend David you’re also quite a book lover?”

“Yes” said Albus’ slightly embarrassed, “I own I think, erm 60 or so now” he added thoughtfully.

“What do you like to read?” said Bathilda, motioning him into the foyer and onwards towards her kitchen.

“Well everything really” said Albus’ keenly, “I like fantasy novels, but I also like one’s that delve into realism and honest truths about the human condition, the environment … stuff like that, and I like non-fiction, I read a lot about topics like culture and history …” he added, accepting a seat at the kitchen table that Bathilda had pulled out for him.

“Well then your right up my alleyway” said Bathilda happily now moving towards the oven to pull a fresh batch of scones out, “I am a non-fiction writer specialising in British and European history and folklore” she added settling the scones on top of the stove too cool down, before proceeding to take jam and cream out of the fridge.

“Wait” said Albus suddenly startled “Are you by any chance Bathilda Bagshot, author of ‘History is Magic?’” he added excitedly.

Bathilda immediately stopped what she was doing and turned to give Albus a awe-struck expression

“Yes, that’s me” she confirmed highly impressed and now even more fond of the red-haired boy in front of her, than she had been before, - which was saying something, “you’ve come across my book? How wonderful!”

“Yeah” agreed Gellert stealing a scone from the tray, “We’ve never met anyone whose read that book before!” he added sniggering and dodging Bathilda as she attempted to whack him with her oven mitt. 

“Well yes” said Albus pleasantly and accepting an additional scone off Gellert, “My friend Minerva and I love it, she herself is currently reading it at the moment” he added, now accepting cream and jam from Bathilda

“Well in that case I’d love to meet her as well” said Bathilda promptly, taking a seat at the table next to him while Gellert stood leaning against the kitchen bench near the oven, - so to have first and easy access to the scones.

“Gellert tells me your enrolled in an education course” Bathilda asked, leaning backwards over her chair to pull Gellert firmly by the arm over to the table.

“Yes” said Albus watching the pair with an amused expression, “I started tutoring in high school and found I rather enjoyed it, I was meant to take a gap year this year to teach English abroad in South East Asia, then my family fell into a situation” he added, gaze dropping to the table.

“I’m very sorry to hear that” said Bathilda gently, placing a hand over his, “I’m sure in time that dream will be within your reach again” she added encouragingly.

“It will be” said Gellert firmly, adding a thick layer of cream onto his now second scone, “I’ll be making sure of it” he confirmed, ignoring his aunts raised eyebrows.

Albus giggled slightly and finally taking a bite of his own scone, moaned in approval.

“Good?” asked Bathilda beaming.

“Incredible” he replied, smiling broadly back at her.

They stayed in the kitchen for another two hours, where over three pots of French Earl Grey and more scones, they discussed Gellert’s family, Bathilda’s own upbringing, the differences between London and Vienna, university courses, the best museums in the London, music, literature and travel destinations. They talked a great deal about a lot of things but Gellert and Bathilda knew it best not to press Albus when it came to conversations concerning his own family, they both knew that it was best to keep that conversation for another day, - for now.

“Come over whenever you want” said Bathilda giving Albus small pecks on both cheeks, “I’m at the museum in the morning, but here all afternoon working from home, so if you need a cup of sugar or a chat, please don’t hesitate to drop by”

“I’ll let you know” Albus replied in all earnest, “thank you for the tea and scones as well”

“Absolutely, though I apologise Gellert didn’t leave any for you to take home to your family” she said, whacking her nephew with the oven mitt again.

“Oh, if it weren’t Gellert, it would have been me, I like sweet stuff too much to leave too much behind” said Albus brightly, giving Bathilda one last quick hug, before setting back down the street with Gellert in tow.

~

Back out in the bright sunlight, Gellert leant in towards Albus as they walked slowly past identical terrace houses.

“Not too scary, is she?” Gellert whispered teasingly into his ear.

“Absolutely not, you’re so right, she is an amazing … and so are you” exclaimed Albus, then turned to give Gellert another kiss that took him remotely by surprise. When they at last broke away, Gellert stood smirking at the now disconcerted boy.

“You making the first move is pretty cool” he said to him playfully.

“Mmmm” Albus murmured red faced, turning back on his heel to continue walking, as Gellert laughing, raced to catch up with him.

Shortly afterwards they were standing back in front of Albus’ home. Albus shyly gazed down and began once again fiddling with the green pin on his new denim jacket.

“I’d invite you in but …” Albus began timidly

“It’s ok” said Gellert smoothly, kissing him on the forehead, “I need to return the bike anywhere, thanks for the magical day mien schatz” he added, paying homage to the new and long overdue nickname.

“No thank you” said Albus’ sincerely, “it’s only been one date, but motorbikes, denim jackets, discussions of phoenix’s and scones were all involved and already, you’ve opened up the world slightly more for me, I can’t wait to have another day like this” he added eagerly.

“Then I’ll make it happen for you” said Gellert before now leaning down to kiss him on the lips once more, they stayed like that of a few more seconds, before resentfully parting, they were standing outside Albus’ house after all.

“See you Monday?” said Gellert nodding.

“See you then” Albus confirmed and retreated up the steps towards his house. At the door frame he stood for a couple of seconds, watching Gellert leave to walk back down the street to his bike, which he did … not before quickly turning and doing some form of theatrical royal bow that made Albus’ laugh once more. His happy daze was broken however, upon opening his front door and hearing loud shrill voice.

“WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN?” his mother practically screamed at him from the hallway.

Back to reality we go …

(Gellert's tattoo) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (.) two more nods to the actors in this chapter - Toby who has Norwegian family and Jamie for his amusing bum tattoo story
> 
> (.) Gellert's use of the word 'underworld' is a reference to the bar and live music venue 'The Underworld' which is in the middle of Camden and is one of my favourite nightlife spots in London. 
> 
> (.) Camden is honestly no where near as cool and grungy as it used to be, and tacky souvenir stops have overtaken some of the better shops, but still a must do for anyone visiting London who hasn't already been.
> 
> (.) the first image is an artwork that helped inspire this and the previous chapter, thanks slxuliop for tracking the artist for me <3\. The second image is a design I did ages ago, which is now Gellert's bum tattoo! enjoy ...


	11. Truths come out - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone got their dose of ggad fluff within the last two chapters, because here's another angsty Dumbledore family centric chapter. 
> 
> This chapter was originally going to be longer - until I wrote that last line and thought that would actually be a great place to stop and turn over to the next chapter. So like the previous two chapters, this and the next are directly connected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to start inputting art images I've been doing on Procreate of the characters - this chapter starting with Albus, enjoy <3 (Illustration at bottom of page)

11\. Truths come out - Part 1

As the source of such implacable wrath took a further two steps forward and gazed ruthlessly at him, Albus remained frozen at the door in shock. His mother’s eyes were full of such fire that he found himself suddenly trembling in her presence. 

“Do you really think I need this Albus?” she whispered icily at him, “I come home from work early expecting all of you to be here and instead I find you absent, no note to tell me where you’ve gone and YOU LEAVE YOUR PHONE AT HOME” she shrieked the last part almost hysterically. 

“I didn’t” said Albus shakily 

“Yeah you did” a slow voice belonging to his brother intervened, the young man himself emerged from the side door of the kitchen and gave his brother a grim look whilst handing him his iPhone, “Ariana found it on the front steps, what happened to you fixing your broken zip?” he added coolly. 

“Ariana was on the front steps?” Albus questioned astonished

“Both of you!” his mother screeched, motioning a finger between both her boys, “In the family room NOW” 

She turned on her dignified boutique heel’s and stormed off in the direction of the living room. Albus shot a desperate and pleading look at his brother who responded with stony and uncompromising one, as if to say - ‘don’t even think about it! this is on you …’, so quivering slightly with anxiety, Albus followed his mother into the living room with Aberforth plodding in tow. 

Kendra sat cross legged on the single armchair next to the small coffee table where laid out was a small ash tray. Sometime during the last week, she had moved it into the living room from outside and was now smoking in the house. Albus’ knew because he overheard her and his aunt having a row over it. She lighted a new cigarette from her packet and took a long inhale before glaring up at her two sons. 

“Sit down” she snapped at them, - a way of also confirming that this conversation was not going to be quick. 

Both boys reluctantly took seats on the three-seater armchair opposite her. Albus sat slightly on edge of his seat anxiously, whilst Aberforth sunk dramatically back into the cushions and stared bitterly up at the ceiling. 

“Since when did we become a household that keeps secrets from one another?” Kendra asked rashly, flicking ash into her tray.

Neither boys answered, Albus pursed his lips a little while Aberforth gave a derisive snort.

“Well?” their mother snapped, “Albus where did you go today? - and Aberforth why is the answer to that question something you’ve been lying to me about? Albus’ I’ve told you not once, but at least a dozen times, that I don’t want you working on the weekend and if you were … I am failing to understand what the issue was with you sending me a message to let me know. Though I doubt that’s where you were because if it was, you wouldn’t gotten through the day too successfully since all the numbers and addresses of you clients are kept on your phone that you left here, so I repeat … where were you?”

She furiously flicked more ash messily across her tray, whilst giving him a furious look.

“Aberforth says you were meeting a client in the library, your brother is a very bad liar considering I know the university library does not stay open after 12pm on a Saturday and he himself doesn’t know, that I KNOW … he’s been sneaking back home very early in the morning, both the last two Fridays and now this morning” she spat giving her other son a testing look, who in response stared wide eyed back at her.

“What?” she snapped, “I’m your mother! I said I wasn’t worried about you coming home late, not that I wouldn’t notice you not coming home at all!” she added aggressively stubbing out her cigarette and removing herself from her chair to pace over to her alcohol cabinet. 

Silence fell across the room as she busied herself with the pouring of a glass of red wine. Once the task was completed, she moved steadily back over to her chair and sat back down. Taking a sip of her wine, she closed her eyes and took in a couple of breaths to steady herself. Once done she placed the wine on the table next to her and stared firmly at both boys.

“Now …” she stated forcefully, sitting up in her chair with the air of queen reigning control over her kingdom. “The last two years have now been kind to us” she continued firmly, “We’ve lost the most important man in our life, your sister has fallen into despair and turmoil and we’ve had to come out here to start a new, much more difficult life. It’s been awful and it’s not what anyone of us ever wanted to happen, but if these secrets and this is reckless behaviour is a way for each of you to act out, then I’m telling you right now, I’m not having it! because in case you haven’t noticed, things have been difficult for me too …”

“Mother” Albus interrupted her quietly, “This isn’t about you …”

His taken back mother stared him down and Albus’ gazed timidly back at her. 

“Then what is it about Albus?” she asked him sternly “You know my rules, you know my expectations, so in purposely choosing this day to sneak out somewhere and have your brother cover up for you, tell me what this is about then? what’s going on with you that your mother isn’t allowed to know about?” 

Albus sat in a frightened silence for a few more deadly seconds until said silence was broken by Aberforth, who groaned impatiently and moved his head away again to stare back up at the ceiling. 

“I had a date, all right” snapped Albus, quite uncharacteristically back at his mother, for he was now finding himself becoming both irritated and upset by this situation. After such a good day, why was he now being integrated by his mother and not supported by his brother? - it was as if no one other than Gellert wanted him to be happy! 

His mother’s eye’s widened and her expression softened.

“You had a date? but darling that’s wonderful” she said punctually, - “But then why was I not to know about this? why couldn’t you tell me that’s where you wanted to go today?” she then added becoming furious once more. 

Both boys continued to sit in silence, each desperately trying to ignore their mother’s dragon stance to little or no avail. 

“What does everyone in this room know that I don’t” she said icily staring between them, “Is she a school dropout? does she come from a dangerous family? does she have multiple piercings in her face? – are you dating someone in secret, knowing I wouldn’t approve of her” she now directed hysterically at her eldest son.

“She is a he mother” said Albus quietly, staring miserably down at the floor. 

Yet again, a horrible silence fell across the room.

“I beg your pardon?” his mother spluttered, looking and sounding quite taken back.

“She is a ‘he’ mother” said Albus’ looking back up at her with tears forming in the corner of his eyes, “I’m gay”

~

Albus laid face down on his bed, his head resting in his arms and tears spilling from his eyes. This was so unfair! he’d just had the best day of his life and now this! 

Upon his ‘coming out’ confession, his mother had sent him up to his room claiming that she was feeling lightheaded and needed to think. So not looking back, he dashed up to his attic with hands covering his face in a desperate attempt to stop the flow of anguish. It was as though a long period of unhappiness was finally being released and he just couldn’t resist it from occurring, not this time … this time it really was just too much to handle. Lying on his bed he took small comfort in the imagination of the one person who seemed to understand him, lying down on the bed beside him and holding him.

‘You don’t always have to be, who they want you to be’ the ghost of his voice echoed in his ear, the memory of his touch soothing his hair. 

‘But what other way is there?’ Albus thought miserably to himself, if the outcome is always going to be this! A ballistic, misunderstanding mother and emotionally barricaded brother who aside from supporting him, would likely come up to his room later and direct all the misery they were both feeling out on him. 

It would be yet another reminder of how trapped he really was. 

~

“So you knew about this?” Kendra asked her middle son furiously.

10 minutes had passed since Albus’ ‘coming out’ and departure, to which both mother and brother had remained behind in living room. Aberforth remained seated on the couch, while Kendra stood staring pensively out the window, smoking another cigarette. 

“Yes” Aberforth replied stiffly, not meeting his mother’s gaze. 

“Hmph!” his mother huffed in response, before taking another drag of her cigarette. She then returned to her seat and from there, directed forceful eyes at her younger son who stared indifferently back at her. 

“Did he tell you?” she asked raising her eyebrows at him, not believing such a thing to be true. 

“No, I guessed” said Aberforth rolling his eyes, (it was as if such a thing weren’t blatantly obvious!) “Does it really matter” he then asked her with a deadly cold expression. 

“Well a mother likes to believe she knows who her children are, doesn’t she” she responded to him tartly. 

“Well no offence ‘mother’, but you really don’t” he responded to her harshly.

He then stood up from his chair and stormed out the room, leaving her alone with the company of wine, cigarettes and a now very empty and lonely 'family' room. 

~

Two days had passed since the unpleasant event of Albus’ ‘coming out’. Feeling it wasn’t the correct time to silicide Gellert over the event, he instead found early morning comfort at Costa, within the company of someone entirely different. 

“Well Albus it was going to happen eventually” said Minerva gently, pushing a plate of cake and his tea towards him as a gesture of comfort, “how did you expect to continue spending time outside of uni with Gellert with her nose breathing down you neck constantly with regards to everything else?”

“I know” said Albus resentfully accepting the cup of tea, “I know …”

Minerva watched him sadly, - she had within her, the world empathy for her friend in front of her and it was devastating to see such a bright soul forever suffering such ongoing turmoil and stress for reasons outside of his logical control. 

“What do you think will happen from here?” she asked, “Are you planning to tell Gellert about this today?”

“No” Albus moaned, “I haven’t really told him much about my family yet, even though he promises to be supportive, I just? I don’t know” he added miserably. 

“You worried he’ll get scared away from it?” Minerva pressed him gently.

“No no, the opposite! Gellert is … well … passionate” he said lamely, “You know about his and Aberforth’s deal? he’s not exactly a shy person and in terms of ‘this’, I don’t want him radically acting out before I myself have figured out a way of dealing with it” he added haphazardly and spilling a drop of tea on his jeans accidently due to mental distraction. 

“I can tell you what I think, even though I don’t think you’ll want to hear it” said Minerva making to wipe the tea caringly of his jeans for him, “I think a move towards standing up to your mother is long overdue, I think you need to get your own life back within your control, I think your sister needs help and your brother needs an excuse to stop being angry all the time” she added sternly. 

Albus knew her words to be true, but I didn’t help him to do anything other than stare weakly back at her. 

“It’s hard Minerva” he said to softly. 

“Of course, it’s hard” she said back to him impatiently, “When is anything worthwhile in life ever easy?” –

As if right on cue her phone buzzed. She reached into her handbag to take a quick curious look at the screen then smiled faintly. 

“Long distant relationships are usually hard?” said Albus smiling at her.

“Short distance this weekend” she replied briskly, putting her phone back away, “I’m going up to Inverness to see him” she added with another small and slightly shy smile. 

“Really?” Albus questioned her with wide eyes, “Not moving too quickly you don’t think?” he added with a bit of concern

“That’s rich coming from you isn’t it?” she retorted loftily back, whilst giving him a raised eyebrow look, “At least for now I’m not jumping onto the back of a motorbike” she added, making Albus’ blush. 

They both looked at each for a couple of seconds, lips twitching, until they both burst into laughter and earning looks from other tables. 

“I don’t know to be honest” said Minerva taking a deep breath and sipping her tea, “I’ve learnt a lot from textbooks, but this relationship stuff is not something that can be easily put into precise, informative words …”

“Your right” said Albus red cheeked, “It really can’t” he added knowingly and taking a sip of his own tea.

He settled his cup down and gazed back over at her respectfully 

“- And your right about the other thing as well” he agreed, “I do need to, I know that” he added with feigned determinedness. 

Minerva looked at him with kind eyes again.

“Start with baby steps” she advised, “and the rest will come in time …” she then added considerably 

“Your right” Albus repeated flimsily, before drowning the rest of his tea in one go.

It was a small show of strength and self-confidence moving forward, even if it was forced and his throat now burn't slightly

~

As the two of them walked onwards towards their first class a phone buzzed, this time it was Albus’ phone. 

To You; Aberforth; Ariana;

‘Family meeting at dinner time.  
After a long discussion with your aunt  
I’ve had further time to think  
and now I want very much for us all to sit  
together and to sort everything out.  
I’ll be cooking for once; and we are  
going to discuss things like  
proper adults, - everything! no exceptions.  
In the meantime, never forget how  
much I love each and all of you. 

Your Mother x

Minerva read the message over Albus’ shoulder, then directed kind eye’s once more at him.

“Baby steps” she repeated to him softly and he smiled appreciatively at her. 

Taking his arm in hers, they both continued to walk in comfortable, supportive silence towards their class and Albus thought then and there, perhaps he’d been wrong? Being his good friend cared about his happiness as well, - as he did hers. 

~

“Be right back” Vinda whispered urgently in Gellert’s ear, who stared at her with raised eyebrows as she stood up quickly and announced - “Bathroom Mr Paige!”, before grabbing her bag and rushing out of the classroom and down the hallway in the complete opposite direction of the Ladies stalls. Bouncing down two sets of stairs and out into the sunlight, she gazed reverently at the broad shoulder boy who stood almost directly in front of her and next to one of the courtyard tables with his bike under one arm. 

“Oh Mon Amour” she chimed sweetly, walking over and wrapping her arms around him, “What a romantic gesture, you’ve come to save me from my miserable fortress” 

“Yeah Yeah …” Aberforth murmured impatiently, regaining use of his arms and limbs back, “Fortress huh” he added staring disdainfully up at the building, - “what happened to you being the knight?” 

“I can be either whenever I want” said Vinda sassily, before dropping the playfulness and gazing up at the boy’s sad eyes with concern. 

“What’s this about then?” she now said seriously “Your previous text message was very vague … so tell me now, why you are skipping school to come see me?”.

Aberforth shrugged his shoulders and stared off sadly into the distance. Vinda however being who she was, snapped her fingers to regain his attention. 

“What’s going on?” she said firmly and refusing to divert her own gaze away. 

Aberforth gazed limply back at her and rather than answering her question, handed her his phone with his mother’s message to him and his siblings still opened on it. 

“You want to know about my family situation” he said to her bitterly as she stood there reading the message with red fingernailed hands, “The truth in short, is that we’re fucked up and now my pitiful mother thinks that via a simple text message and a dinner, she can make amends for everything”

“Well” Vinda stammered, rereading the message in a way of trying to interpret its inner secrets, “It seems to me that at least she’s trying?” she added hopefully. 

“Because of Albus!” Aberforth practically shouted, making her jump two feet in the air, “Not because father is gone, not because my sister can barely leave the house … it’s as soon as something happens to threaten her relationship with my fucking perfect brother! suddenly she starts wanting to try harder!” he reached up and stressfully brushed his hands through his hair and looking for all the world in so much pain, that made Vinda desperately want to pull him back in and hold him close. 

Aberforth took a deep bitter breath and finally turned desperate pleading eye’s back towards Vinda, who in turn, gazed sympathetically at him. 

“I don’t know” he said lamely and pacing slightly on the spot, “Albus got his day last Saturday, I thought … maybe I just needed mine now” he added with thick determination and looked directly towards Vinda once more. “I just thought if perhaps you didn’t desperately need to attend any of your own classes today, we can go to your place and just enjoy yourselves without me needing to rush out? … I don’t know it’s up to you” he added shrugging. 

Vinda smiled weakly.

“You’ll never need to ask for my company, or my support ever” she told him complacently, “surely you know that by now?”

“Is that a yes?” Aberforth asked blankly, making Vinda roll her eyes.

“Yes, you thick headed moron that’s a ‘yes’” she said exasperatedly, moving forward and placing both hands on his firm chest. 

Aberforth snorted, then with renowned expression, looked down at her gratefully.

“Thank you” he said to her with uncharacteristic softness, before turning and jumping back onto his bike 

“Anytime” she said sweetly in reply, “I guess this means I get my turn on a bike” she now added gleefully, holding his shoulders and propping herself up onto the joint rests. 

“Yeah but it’s just this” said Aberforth glumly, “not some tacky vehicle your ‘bestie’ thinks is cool”

“Your bike is perfect” said Vinda pointedly moving a soft hand across to brush strands of dirty blonde hair out of his face, “and in your own weird way, so are you” she added with such softness, Aberforth’s cheeks pinkened slightly as the he rode them both out of the campus and out onto the busy London streets.

~

“Not too high mother” said Aberforth adjusting the stove temperature, “If you do that the water will boil over and it’s me who’ll be cleaning it up”. 

“Okay” said his mother frantically, being she was quite flustered, “Erm, and the stuff in the oven?” 

“I’ve already adjusted it” said Aberforth dully, “It’ll be ready in 40 minutes or so …”

“Okay” she repeated taking a breath and with a look on her face, removed her mitts that were well out of her fashion sense, “Thank you darling” she added gratefully nodding at her middle child. 

“Don’t mention it” he said darkly, moving towards the fridge to take the bottle of water that would be accompanying him and his overdue assignment. 

It was now 6pm and after a relaxing day in Walford with his hyperactive and insane (but also amatory and endearing) sexual partner, he had arrived home to find his mother on a one-way fast track to burning the house down. ‘Am I really the only person who knows how to properly do anything around here?’ he thought bitterly to himself before settling down at the kitchen table and pulling his school laptop out. His mother both stressed and feeling slightly disappointed with herself, sat down opposite him. 

“How was school today?” she asked lighting a cigarette (there was now an ashtray on the kitchen table too).

Aberforth paused in his task, a slight smirk appearing across his face. 

“Yeah it was great mother, thank you” he replied, resuming his laptop set up. 

“What was that look for?” his mother asked raising her eyebrows, “Honestly Aberforth if there’s been another incident …”

“There hasn’t been an incident mother” Aberforth replied robotically, cutting her off and beginning to type with a now darkened expression. 

“Okay” his mother reasoned raising her hands in the air, “I just saying … I mean I’m glad there hasn’t been -”

She was interrupted in that moment by the door to the front door opening and closing, in a way of announcing the arrival of the eldest son (whom had cancelled his tutoring session to come home for this ‘meeting’).

“Albus” his mother called and raised herself up from her chair to greet him in the hallway, Aberforth watched her go from the corner of his eye, the typing of his keys suddenly becoming more aggressive without him really realising it. 

~

“Are you ok?” his mother began fussing, “your client wasn’t too unhappy you cancelled” she added cautiously.

“She was fine mother” said Albus civilly and protesting against her interfering hands attempting to straighten his appearance, “what time do you need me downstairs?”

“Aberforth says it’ll be ready in 40 minutes, take your time though, no rush” she said reassuringly and giving him a hopeful look. 

He nodded and walked around her to proceed upstairs towards his room. 

With each of his retreating steps, her heart beat steadily faster. 

~

“Well thanks to the help of your practically skilled brother” said Kendra briskly, settling a tray of Yorkshire puddings down on the table, “It didn’t turn out looking too bad, let’s just hope it’s all alright in the middle” she added with a slightly panicked look on her face. 

“It looks lovely mother thank you” said Albus diplomatically, “and thanks Aberforth for assisting” he added politely to his brother, who glared at him in response. 

“Don’t mention it” he replied tartly, making Albus blush and stare timidly down at his plate. 

“Aberforth” his mother said sternly, “I beg you, please don’t derive the point of this dinner before we’re even started …”

“What’s the point of this dinner again mother?” asked Aberforth sarcastically, “So you can make a big showcase of forgiving Albus for being gay and we can go on attempting to play happy family?”

“No” his mother snapped, then catching herself took a deep calming breath, “No …” she repeated sternly.

Ariana began to shake slightly in her seat and Aberforth noticing, placed a hand on her leg. 

“It’s ok Ari” he said gently, “I won’t keep arguing I promise” he added, before turning his attention back to his mother, - “So mother we are sorting shit out” he said pointedly at her. 

“Don’t swear at the table” she snapped losing patience and making Ariana squeak. 

“Sorry” said Aberforth rolling his eyes’ slightly and gripping Ariana’s leg firmer, “Please mother what would you like to discuss?” he asked tonelessly. 

“Well so long as you’re the one talking, let’s start with you” she declared placing her knife and fork down and crossing her arms, “Where are you going in the early morning hours after you finish your shift?” she asked him with raised eyebrows. 

“Did you perhaps consider, that there are tasks which need to be done after the bar closes?” Aberforth tested, “Scrub downs, line cleaning and stuff?”

Now his mother rolled her eyes.

“Christ Aberforth, I realise I don’t know how to cook very well, but that’s not fair enough reason to think I’m a complete idiot” his mother groaned, burying her face in her hands, “Line clean on the busiest night of the week? I mean really …” she added in a bitter drawl. 

She then sat back up and gazed sternly at her middle child who gazed resentfully back at her. 

“Albus was honest with me on Saturday night” she said quietly, “- and I realise yes … I didn’t take it very well” she added with an apologetic look at her eldest, - “but my point is … perhaps you might also try being honest with me too” she added calmly, her gaze once more directed at her middle child. 

Aberforth however redirected his gaze to his food. After fiddling around with his fork for a few good seconds, he finally spoke - 

“A girls place” he confirmed, “it’s not serious” he then added quickly. 

His mother curled her bottom lip and looked at him with an almost amused expression. 

“Good” she said triumphantly, “Thank you for being honest me … do I get to know anything about her?” she added with genuine curiosity. 

“She’s very nice” Albus injected suddenly, “- I go to university with her” he stated, then blushed, - it was his mere attempt to stand in and stick up for his brother. 

“A university student?” questioned their mother astounded and with raised eyebrows, “Good grief … well in that case, I mean … once it stops being ‘not serious’ obviously, I’d like very much to meet her” she added promptly to Aberforth, who continued to ignore her gaze. 

“Glad she’s met your approval” said Aberforth darkly, stabbing his Yorkshire pudding for good measure (of course if Albus knew and liked her, automatically it was ok). 

“In the meantime, are you being safe” she then pressed him. 

“God dammit! yes mother” he snapped, now tearing the Yorkshire pudding in half. 

“No swearing” his mother repeated harshly. 

“Sorry” he replied dully. 

Their mother then took another deep sigh and turned her direction towards Albus. 

“The next thing obviously is this” she said to her other son in a much more commanding voice, “I’m not unhappy about your sexuality my darling, I mean … yes of course it does come with its slight disappointments” she added contemplatively making the rest of the table flinch. - “But if it’s you, then I don’t have a say and really, I was just surprised … and I reacted, I apologise” she blabbered giving her son a meaningful look. 

“It’s ok mother” said Albus not meeting her gaze, “I understand …”

“Good” she said, now beaming “Good …” she repeated suddenly very satisfied.

At that point she took a large tension relieving gulp of her wine and settled the glass. It didn’t need to be spoken out loud for her children to know, that now she believed things were ok with these two 'pink elephant' issues, she would likely return back to her usual assured, stubborn and controlling self once more by the end of the night. 

“But I need to sort out with you a few things regarding this” she added promptly, once again making the table flinch

“Your boyfriend” she said directly at Albus with a very serious gaze, “Who is he? What does he do? Where does he live? and most importantly ... when will I be meeting him? …

~  



	12. Lady Slipper Orchids

12\. Lady Slipper Orchids 

“Erm …” Albus stammered flabbergasted, “We’ve only had the one date mother …” he added copiously.

“He brought you that jacket?” his mother asked, waving of his comment and indicating with disapproval, the denim jacket Albus honestly forgot he’d put on that morning, - “you don’t normal wear clothing like that” she added coolly. 

Albus looked down at his outfit and back up at her, ‘I think you need to get your own life back in your control’ Minerva’s voice echoed in his head. So, ignoring his insides that were recoiling, he sat up and looked firmly at his mother. 

“I like it” he said to her quietly, causing her to narrow her eyebrows at him. 

“Hmmm” she murmured curtly and taking a sip of her wine, “So tell me about him?” she asked pointedly, placing her glass back down in front of her. 

The table fell into an awkward silence with all eyes on Albus. Ariana had perked up and was looking at him with great interest, Aberforth sat with arms crossed and one eyebrow raised, and their mother now had her arms folded on the table and was staring at him with a gaze that was both cold and commanding. 

“Ummm” Albus stammered, putting his knife and fork down on the table, his nerves simmering. 

“Getting past the fact that I’m just learning about your preferences” said his mother sternly, “I’m still very upset that you would silicide the company of another boy whom I know nothing about” she then added with ice in her voice.

“So Aberforth …” Albus began in staggered protest.

“I just told your brother that if he wants to take his acquaintance further, then I would like very much to meet this girl as well” said his mother firmly, “In the meantime I have very small issue against him being 17 years old and doing what 17 year old’s do, besides …” she added with a raised eyebrow at her middle child, “having a girl in his life is not necessarily a bad thing for him”.

Nostrils flaring, Aberforth took another aggressive stab at his food making Ariana giggle slightly, everyone at the table turned their attention to her instead. 

“Sorry” she stammered gazing back down at her plate with pink cheeks. 

“- As I was saying” said their mother turning diligently back to her eldest son, her curious expression going cold once more. “You’re in many drastic ways a very different person to your brother” she confirmed to him, - “and this relationship I sense is also very different, am I wrong?” she added severely. 

“Mmm” Albus mumbled not meeting her strong gaze. 

“So hence why I what to know all about him” his mother continued on relentlessly, “and seeing as your brother and sister also want the best for you and this family’s wellbeing, it’s best to get all this information out so long as we’re all sat around ‘family’ table; and …” she added her voice turning dangerous, - “most especially due to the fact that you tried and failed to keep him secret from me …”

The ice in the room was so thick, Albus wouldn’t have been surprised if David next door, was also feeling a sudden chill in the air. His mother was staring him down with the deadliest expression he had ever seen on her. 

Albus looked at her incredulously, his lips quivering slightly. 

“Well contrary to the opinion you already seem to be forming about him mother” he said slightly dismayed, “He’s kind and … ” 

His words were cut off by a loud snort coming from Aberforth, who he then shot a furious glance at. 

“Aberforth be quiet” his mother snapped at him, then turned to Albus once more, “Go on” she prompted, her lips thinning. 

“- and he’s outgoing and funny, and caring … he’s also a very talented musician, so good he got into our uni on a scholarship!” Albus rambled on. momentarily forgetting he was currently sitting in emotional Antarctica, as his mind began drifting off to a warm place with fluffy white clouds, - “and he lives with his aunt down the street who is a historian and bakes really good scones … and” 

“Back up” said his mother loudly, figuratively blowing his fluffy white cloud away with a gust of cold wind, “Are you referring to that dreadful women at number 32 who always dresses like she’s on her way to Woodstock?” she questioned looking highly repulsed. 

Albus looked beyond taken back. 

“She is a very kind and intelligent woman” he said to his mother now very upset, “she’s written books!” he also added, in a manner of suggesting that alone solved all unnecessary doubts. 

“Oh Albus!” his mother snapped exasperatedly, now chopping up her own Yorkshire puddings with a knife and fork, just for something to do with her hands. 

“What?” Albus relented in desperate attempt to stand up for himself against yet another ridiculous confrontation with his mother, “You don’t personally know either of them, it’s unfair to make judgement on outside basis alone”

“- and your saying that Gellert’s outside basis alone, isn’t what attracted you to him” said Aberforth loftily, twirling a piece of carrot around in the air with his fork. 

“Aberforth please” Albus’ whined desperately

“His name is Gellert?” their mother now asked, staring Albus up and down once more, making him shudder.

“Yes mother” he confirmed weakly, “His name is Gellert …”

The table sat in silence once more, Albus looked down at the table to avoid his mother’s gaze who in turn began glaring at his jacket once more, all the while Aberforth sat opposite then with a stormy expression picking at his food and Ariana wide eye’s wandered between all of them, an anxious look etched on her fragile face. 

“I would very much like to meet him, and his aunt too, if you can arrange it for some time this weekend that would be acceptable” said his mother firmly putting her cutlery down and folding her arms as a way of physically showing that her decision was finale, - “and afterwards we’ll have another discussion regarding your current relationship, do I make myself understood?” she instated forcefully to her eldest son. 

Albus’ pushed both distress and injustice to the back of his mind and nodded unhappily at his mother.

(‘Sorry Minerva’ he thought sadly, ‘standing up for myself is going to have to wait, because as always … peace comes first …’)

“Yes mother” he surrendered to her quietly, “Would you like me to invite Gellert and Bathilda over for tea?” he further asked.

“Goodness no!” his mother blurted out, “Do you wish for strangers to come into this house and upset your sister?” 

“Mother I’d like …” Ariana timidly interjected,

“Besides” said their mother ignoring her, “a best judge of a person is by seeing their home” she added punctually, picking her knife and fork up once more. 

“- to meet Albus’ boyfriend” finished Ariana in a miserable undertone. 

“Fine” said Albus standing up from the table with blatant distress, “I’ll see what I can do …can I be excused?” he added walking off, without waiting to hear an answer. 

“No, you may not Albus, you haven’t touched any of your food!” his mother called angrily at his retreating back. 

“I’m not hungry!” he retorted and continued up to his room. 

With an enraged huff, she placed her knife and fork down on the table and went after him, leaving the other two siblings to stare gloomily at their own dinners. 

“Trust me Ari” said Aberforth gently, stealing a sip of his mothers abandoned wine, “You don’t want to meet him” he added, in a way of showing that he had been listening and paying attention to her …

Was he really the only one in the family who could do that as well?

~

“Well so much for having a civilized and mature adult conversation with the three of them, as I requested of you” Aunt Honoria exploded, moving to place a kettle of water on the stovetop, “I suppose whilst you were terrorising poor Albus, you didn’t get a chance to bring Ariana into any conversation?”

“Do not test me Honoria” Kendra snarled, whilst stubbing out her fifth cigarette, “I’m not in the mood”.

“Of course” said Honoria tartly, searching the cupboard for a box of teabags, “You’re not in the mood … you’re not in the mood to take Ariana to a doctor, you’re not in the mood to address Aberforth’s anger issues and your not in the mood to place trust into your 18 year old adult son who deserves a chance at living his own life. You’re not in the mood to do any of the above because it causes you too much fear, discomfort and insecurity, something that you’re also unwilling to deal with … am I correct dear? …?” 

“Honoria” Kendra shrieked attempting to light up another cigarette with shaking hands, “Stop!”. 

“No” said her aunt in law firmly, “You want me to continue educating Ariana? then the condition is that you accept my input when it is needed, you want to be a better mother? Then you need to stop this pathetic nonsense and start properly caring your children” she added grabbing the unlit cigarette out of Kendra’s mouth and chucking it into the bin.

“- Now you’re going to go to that woman’s house on Saturday and treat both her and her nephew with respect - out of respect for your son! you’re going to put aside your displaced snobbery and consider them with rational judgement; and you’re going to go upstairs right now and check on your daughter whom you haven’t spoken to all day” 

“She doesn’t want to talk to me, she never does” said Kendra bitterly, putting the packet of cigarettes into her coat pocket out of Honoria’s reach. 

“Goodness, I wonder why that is?” Honoria chimed sarcastically, putting a tea bag and two sugars into a cup for Ariana. 

Both women stared each other down like opponents in a jousting competition. 

“Do you not think I am trying?” said Kendra in a deadly whisper, “I am trying so very hard … you have absolutely no possible idea”, a statement that made Honoria scoff. 

“No I don’t believe you’re trying at all Kendra” Honoria responded bitterly, now pouring hot water into the cup, “There are so many issues you have that need to be put aside if there is any chance of this keeping this family from falling apart, everything you are doing right now … you are doing first and foremost for yourself and rather than bringing your children towards you, you are instead pushing them further and further away”.

She then handed passed the cup of tea into Kendra’s narrow fingered hands. 

“Go” commanded with one last distasteful glare that had within it, undertones of deep sorrow for the incapable woman in front of her and most especially - for her three poor mislaid children. 

~

“Meet your mother?” Gellert asked the red faced boy in front of him with a bemused expression

“Yes” said Albus’ weakly, “She’s overprotective, she just wants to know who you and your aunt are”.

“She is also an outdated snob who wants to make sure you’re an appropriate choice for her pride and joy offspring” added Minerva coldly, with raised eyebrows at Albus, “I guess standing up to her didn’t work out too well” 

“You weren’t in the room” said Albus dimly, “Aberforth and Ariana were there, it was a full-on interrogation”

“I’ve been in the same room with you mother, your siblings and yourself” Minerva corrected with a tone of exasperation, “I know all about it …”

Albus’ gazed drooped down to the floor sadly, the four of them were sat at a table outside of the ‘School of Education’ building, each nursing early morning hot drinks from Costa. 

“I sorry Albus” Minerva began quickly, “I didn’t mean …”

“I can’t wait to meet your mother” Gellert interrupted in a sing song voice, swooping around the table and bending down to hug his seated lover from behind. 

“Me neither actually” said Vinda softly to herself, whilst dunking marshmallows absentmindedly into her mocha (Minerva shot her a questioning look). 

“I’ll speak to my aunt tonight” Gellert confirmed propitiously, “We’ll get dolled up, grab some champagne, fill up the vases, then send you a gold horse drawn carriage” he added making Albus’ laugh softly, “- or a limousine, what’s your mother’s preference?”

“You need to be careful around her” said Minerva frowning and turning her attention back to the two boys, “I don’t think your general silliness is going ‘gel’ too well with her” 

“I think we’re going to get along splendidly” Gellert disagreed with an air of cheerful optimism, “and if not … it doesn’t matter because she doesn’t frighten me anymore then this one’s crabby boy toy does” he added slyly to Vinda who gave him an uncharacteristic glare in response. Gellert however didn’t take any notice, instead he settled down into the space between her and Albus’ and pulled him in closer. 

“Nothing is going to stop me being with you liebling” he whispered into his ear and only loud enough for him to hear, “Nothing is going to stop us living the life we want, I told you I’d assist you and I will, I won’t break that promise”

Albus smiled and moved to place his arms around Gellert’s shoulders in a happy embrace. Their moment of romance however was cut short by Vinda. 

“I insist on being there as well” she stated firmly to her surprised audience, then turned directly to Gellert with a look on her face as if to say – ‘and don’t you dare question me on it”

~

Gellert grumbled as he stood in front of his mirror and tried literally for the 6th time to tie his new black tie, one that he had picked up from M&S on the way home from university. He was grateful that ‘The Deathly Hallows’ gig had been postponed another week, since had he’d been up singing and prancing around stage until midnight the previous night, there would be no way in Hades hell, that’s he’d have the stamina to pull through today (though take that back … for Albus - he’d make miracles happen!)

‘For fucks sakes’ he thought to himself impatiently, once more getting the process wrong. He was about to throw the thing out the window until his aunt who had just emerged into his messy bedroom, intervened. 

“You don’t need a tie” she said to him rolling her eyes and picking pencils and music sheets up from the floor. 

“I’m trying to make an impression” said Gellert stubbornly, tying the tie mockingly into a bow due to his level of annoyance with it. 

“You want to make an impression I agree” said Bathilda, coming up behind him and wrapping warm motherly arms around him, “First place to start is to not be too fake” she added pointedly, then grabbed the tie and chucked it out the window herself. 

Gellert watched is go, a black thing flying out into the open space, as a bat would into the night, it would likely land on the brick fence near the bins where it would further end up in two days’ time or so. 

“The shirt is nice on its own” said Bathilda, brushing creases out from the sides that Gellert had missed during the ironing process. 

“Thank you” he murmured, staring at himself self-consciously in the mirror. His aunt who had rewrapped her arms around him, smiled adoringly at his reflection. 

“He’s really under your skin this one, isn’t he?” she asked him softly in a voice that wasn’t teasing, nor stern, it’s was pure understanding from one knowing person to the next, the latter being the one with the need for outspoken clarification. 

Gellert looked at her in the reflection, her kind, sympathetic eyes and her reassuring loving smile. 

“He’s not just under my skin aunt” said Gellert softly to her, “He’s all over … my mind, my heart … my groin!” he added thickly. 

His aunt sniggered at him a little, then wrapped her arms around him tighter still. 

“Remember 4 years ago?” she said to him quietly, - “when you first asked me about relationships and love?”

Gellert’s eye’s widened slightly at her, - for he knew … and he understood. 

“Yes” he confirmed quietly, his heart racing in his chest. 

“Love chooses it for you” she repeated to him once more.

Gellert didn’t respond, instead he stood quietly playing with his beloved ring, the ring with the symbol and a meaning that he now shared with someone else. 

“Shall we go knock his pretentious mother off her feet then” his aunt then rang out loudly clapping him on the shoulders and making him jump two feet into the air. 

“Yes” said Gellert confidently, then turned on his heel and proceeded out the room, his aunt beaming very widely, followed him from behind. 

~

Kendra shifted her feet uncomfortably on the front steps and looked around disdainfully at the women’s front garden. Whereas Aberforth by her insistence kept eveything in her own garden clean cut and prestigious, the woman’s garden had an array of plants growing in uneven spots and her taste in flowers as it seemed - like her clothing, was outside the conventional standard. 

“I think those are Lady Slipper Orchirds” said her son, nodding with fascination at the particular plant she had eyes on, “they’re really rare” he added hopefully. 

Kendra scoffed and turned to place her fine manicured fingernail on the front doorbell. 

“Be aware Albus” she whispered to him in an undertone, “I’m hopes are not high …”

In response to her comment, her son drooped his head down desolately, as a young man with blonde hair answered her ring. 

~

With the appearance of Gellert at the door, Albus’ head shot up and his expression lightened with enamour. That expression however rapidly morphed into amused shock and he found himself suddenly having to fight down a laugh. His boyfriend was dressed in a long white collared shirt, aimed at purposely hiding his tattoos, that was then tucked into black dress pants and his long hair had been pulled into a tight jagged ponytail. 

“Hello Mein Liebling” said Gellert smiling warmly at him before turning his attention to his befuddled mother. 

“Pleasure to meet you Mrs Dumbledore, I’m Gellert Grindelwald” he said offering his hand to her. 

Kendra started the man up and down, before politely taking his hand.

“Pleasure to meet you also Gellert” she said firmly, “You’re German?” she added with a trace of surprise. 

“Austrian” Gellert politely corrected her, whilst gently shaking her hand, “So is my aunt originally, though she highly considers herself to be British now”

“Her flowers aren’t” said Kendra, once again turning raised eyebrows to the woman’s garden. 

“Actually, they are” said another polite voice from behind Gellert belonging to his aunt. Bathilda herself materialised onto the scene and was also to Albus’ further amusement, dressed outside her own norm in a pair of tailored white pants, blue blouse and shiny silver ballet flats (her hair was also tied up in a ponytail), “But you won’t regularly see them in backyards or out in the countryside” she added expertly, “Growing them here is my attempt to protect an endangered species …”

“I see” said Kendra turning her attention back to the pair and looking the woman up and down also. Unfazed by the motion, Bathilda like Gellert, also offered a hand to the stern looking, well-dressed woman. 

“I’m Bathilda, Gellert’s aunt” said Bathilda pleasantly, though with a slightly cool undertone (she still hadn’t forgotten about the raspberry scone incident) “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you” she added.

“Pleasure it’s all mine” said Kendra in a high class, formal tone, “You may both call me Kendra and pardon the sudden need to meet you both, Albus’ here is my eldest and most achieving child, therefore I hold his interest’s in very high regard”

“He’s a very fine boy and your interests are perfectly understandable” said Bathilda politely back, “Please come inside, I’ve just put the kettle on the stove and Vinda is sorting out our afternoon tea” she added turning a smirk in the direction of her kitchen where a young woman was finalising cream on some cupcakes with great frustration, being it didn’t seem to want to stay put on top of the cake and kept insisting on sliding off. 

“Of course,” said Kendra accepting the arm that was offered to her by Gellert and proceeded to follow the woman down the hall into the kitchen with him alongside her, a highly entertained Albus trailed them from behind. 

“Ah bonjour” Vinda called over her shoulder as the group entered the kitchen, “I’ll come over in a second to introduce myself sorry, I’m just tackling the cream here” she added turning a nasty expression back towards the offending dairy product. 

“Those cakes are still too hot love” said Bathilda exasperatedly, walking over to help the poor girl, “Leave them be for now, the rest is fine” she added with a sympathetic smile aimed at the flustered French woman.

Vinda shot her a grimace before turning around to face the rest of the group. 

“My mother tried and failed to teach me how to bake” she said to a perplexed looking Kendra and amused looking Albus and Gellert, “I was never interested and so my teenage days were instead spent on sunlit bench top next to the Seine, busking for coins and other such treasures” she added in a matter of fact tone, not caring at all whether her clothes or personality were making the right impression (unlike Gellert and Bathilda, she had stubbornly remained dressed in her regular rock chick apparel).

“Are you a relative?” asked Kendra, looking at the girl with both great confusion and strong disapproval. 

“A friend” Vinda corrected confidently, “Not just to Albus and Gellert here, but to your other son as well” she added pointedly. 

Kendra looked at her dumbfounded. 

“You’re a friend of Aberforth’s?” she asked bewildered.

“Yes, as a matter of fact” sang Vinda turning to grab the plate of small cut sandwiches Bathilda was handing to her, that she then proceeded to place down on the table in front of them, “We are in a very committed texting and sexing relationship, please sit” she added motioning towards the table chairs. 

From next to Kendra, Gellert’s lips began twitching slightly and Albus thought equally amused, had to really hand it to him, he was really doing everything within his current willpower to be as unGellertish as possible right now. 

“Please?” he said civilly, pulling out one of the chairs and gesturing for Kendra to sit down. 

“Thank you Gellert” she said approvingly to him, preferring his mannerliness over Vinda’s bold outspokenness. 

“No worry at all” he said bowing down gentlemanly like as Kendra sat down. He then pulled another chair out for Albus, whom he shot a reverent look at as Albus smiling gratefully back at him, made to sit down next to his mother. 

“Let’s have none of that chat at the table dear” said Bathilda with an also amused expression, who then also placed herself down at the table with Vinda and Gellert following suit. 

Settling into her seat, Kendra turned her attention back to Vinda.

“I didn’t catch your name?” she asked the beautiful young women who was now cleaning cream of her red fingernails with a napkin.

“Vinda Rosier” she replied, putting the napkin down and offering a clean hand over the table to Kendra, “I heard your name is Kendra?” she added with a feigned mannerly smile. 

“Kendra Dumbledore yes” said Kendra tactfully accepting her hand, “So you’re who Aberforth goes to see early on a morning after work” she added, as a way of confirming the obvious. 

“Yes, and I’d like to be able to see him more regularly, though he feels his family responsibilities weigh him down too much” Vinda responded with a raised eyebrow, making the table fall silent. 

Kendra feeling all eyes on her, cleared her throat slightly. 

“Well yes … Aberforth does much of the cooking and gardening, he also looks after his unwell sister when I’m not home as Albus’ here is heavily burdened with university assignments and his tutoring clients, both of which he needs to keep managed at a distinction level so that he continue building his credit score” she added shooting her son an approving look, who in turn avoided her gaze and stared down at the table (Gellert who sat beside him squeezed his leg from under the table).

“He worries about me coming over” said Vinda intentionally, further adding to the awkwardness at the table in such an unapologetic way. 

“Well my daughter you see” said Kendra clearing her throat once more, “Sometimes shy’s away from strangers and it’s often not worth adding to the distress she is currently under …”.

“I see” Bathilda interjected with great interest, “Your daughter, she suffers from social anxiety, does she?” she added cautiously

“It hasn’t been officially diagnosed, but yes I believe so” said Kendra stiffly, “Alongside fear of the outdoors and well … fear of everything really” 

Another silence fell across the table as Vinda and Bathilda stared incredulously at the distant woman and Gellert gripped his lovers’ leg even firmer. 

“May I ask Kendra” he inquired graciously in her direction, “Is she currently seeing anyone?” he added with a quick side glance at Albus who was looking as miserable as ever. 

“No Gellert she isn’t” Kendra answered politely back, “I’m sorting things out in my own way for now …” she added, looking firmly across the table at all the accusing expressions, including her own sons

“Is it working?” asked Bathilda coolly. 

“To the best of its ability” stated Kendra with the air of someone not wishing to proceed with the current conversation, “Anyway let’s not continue to discuss my sick daughter, I’m very interested in learning all about Gellert over here” she added now shooting a courteous glance at the boy in question. 

“Of course,” he said courteously back, whilst offering her the plate of sandwiches, “Ask me any question” 

~

To Albus’ great relief, they managed to get through the two-hour afternoon tea without any hiccup or further mention of Ariana. To his even stronger relief, not only had Gellert managed to strategically charm his mother into submission, but also had her liking him as much as he did by their fourth cups of Lady Grey tea. Though she was strongly disapproving of his goals towards becoming a full-time paid musician and his dream of getting his band into greater spotlight, she approved of his high distinction grade average across all his subjects and was even more enthusiastic with regards to his family’s aristocratic heritage, wealth and social status within Vienna (thought the fact that he no longer speaks to any of these family members anymore is something he cheekily failed to mention). 

“So how did you meet Albus?” she then asked outright, nursing her cup on tea between thin fingers and giving him a scrutinizing look. 

“I followed a trail of sherbet lemons and found him hiding behind a bookcase” said Gellert casually, as his aunt rolled her eyes at him.

“Excuse me?” Kendra asked with raised eyebrows. 

“Sorry” said Gellert quickly remembering this woman wasn’t one to joke with, “I walked by him on Abbeville Road once and after seeing him a number of other coincidental times, I coaxed your other son to bringing him along to one of my band’s performances, after that I asked him out”

“Oh, I see” said Kendra catching on and placing her teacup back down, “That’s the reason Aberforth wanted him to go to work with him that night isn’t it?” she then asked sternly.

“Yes” said Gellert nodding, “I wrote a song and wanted him to hear it” he added shooting Albus a doting expression who blushed in response. 

“Hmmm” Kendra contemplated gazing between the two, “Well Gellert in future I’d appreciate all dates or meetings with Albus to be run by me first and that they don’t conflict with his work, study or family time, is that understood?”

“Understood” said Gellert happily squeezing Albus’ leg once more, who in turn sat there beaming at the affirmation that Gellert had met his mother’s approval.

“As for you” she added, now turning her attention to Vinda, whom despite the rocky start, she had also warmed up to, “Please feel free and accepted to come over to my house in future, I’ll have a talk with Aberforth about it … in fact I’d really like both of you to come to dinner one night, it’ll be a good step in order for Ariana to begin getting used to you both being around often” she added diplomatically.

Vinda who was much less fazed at having met the woman’s approval, responded to her in a matter of fact tone.

“I’d definitely like to meet her yes”

“Good” Kendra affirmed whilst raising herself from the table, “Well it was absolutely lovely to meet all of you, but I think it’s best we be off before we overstay our welcome … Albus” she added pointedly to her son who had remained seated. 

“I would like to spend some more time with Gellert” said Albus’ in a steady tone, - “if that’s ok with you?” he added uncertainty to his mother. 

Kendra stood there for a moment biting her lip, then shot a quick questioning look at Bathilda.

“Not under my roof” Bathilda lied, giving her a feigned reassuring look. 

“Ok then darling” said Kendra resentfully, “Be home in two hours for dinner” she added firmly.

“I’ll walk you out” said Bathilda lightly moving from her chair over to the other woman. 

“Thank you” said Kendra curtly, giving her son a quick kiss on the forehead before allowing herself to be led from the kitchen and out into the hallway by the other woman. 

Bathilda opened the front door and gave the other woman a strong look as she walked by.

“Thank you again” said Kendra formally, before stepping out into the sunlight. 

“So long as our boys are dating, please know that if you need anything, I’m happy to help … so don’t hesitate at all to ask” said Bathilda in a way that made the other woman feel slightly vulnerable

“Thank you” said Kendra insecurely, “I’ll be sure to”

“Okay” said Bathilda smiling kindly at her, “Albus has my number” she added before closing the door gently behind her. 

~

While Vinda and Bathilda worked on cleaning up, Gellert took Albus by the hand and led him for the first time ever, up to his bedroom. 

Albus walked into the room and stared around with a mixture of curiosity and awe. Whilst his room at home was always kept to a tidy standard, Gellert’s in comparison was as chaotic as his vibrant personality. Two guitars, one acoustic and one electric, stood on stands next to a computer desk that was scattered with scribbled lyrics and music notes, some of the paper had made it to the floor, whilst others were scrunched up in a paper waste basket with squashed red bull cans. Along his walls were lopsided posters of various music artist’s including Joy Division, The Stone Roses, The Cure and Kasabian. Most of the décor was black, his bedspread however was satin navy and despite the dark colours, there was still strong sunlight in the room due to the large window Albus’ fondly remembered seeing him naked through. Albus who had been busy taking everything in, didn’t notice Gellert when he moved to lift him from behind and collapse them both onto the bed. Laughing, Albus wrestled playfully against the other boy for a few moments until Gellert having the better and stronger hand of the two, climbed on top of him and placed their lips ferociously together. There they stayed for the passing of minutes as rough handling became desperate touches and soft caresses. Gellert paused their making out for a couple of momentary seconds to remove his shirt, then with sigh of relief, chucked it into the far corner of the room (he would have also chucked it out the window had he not thought he might need it again later).

“Thank fuck for that” he said huffily, making Albus giggle. 

“You can’t hide them from her forever you know” he said softly, stroking Gellert’s tattooed arms. 

“Well I’m going to have to” said Gellert disconcertingly, “Had I not mentioned my dear beloved parents, I clearly wouldn’t have made the cut” he added with a darkened expression. 

“But like you said the other day, It wouldn’t have mattered” Albus reaffirmed to him. He then moved his hand from Gellert arm to his hair where he proceeded to gently pull out the tie keeping the soft strands in place. 

“Wanna help me remove my pants as well?” said Gellert smirking down at him. 

“Do you miss them?” Albus’ asked softly, blatantly ignoring the previous question. 

Gellert bit his lip then flopped down onto the bed next to him, so that the two were now laying horizontally side by side. 

“No” he said quietly, “I barely knew them, and they barely knew me”

Albus didn’t respond to this, he instead stared sadly up at Gellert’s dark ceiling. 

“Your mother cares about you very much” said Gellert softly turning on his side to face him. 

“Too much” said Albus’ distressfully sinking back into the mattress, “She’s controlling, she’s enforcing, she doesn’t listen to me, due to her favouritism my brother hates me and my sister hides in her room under a blanket because she can’t cope, it’s too much for her on top of what happened …”

“What happened Albus?” said Gellert firmly to him.

Albus’ trembled slightly, then with a deep succumbing sigh, he turned on his side to face Gellert.

“She was in the wrong place at the wrong time” he said, allowing himself to be pulled into Gellert’s embrace, “Then ‘everything’ happened” he whispered despondently into the other boy’s bare chest.

Gellert held him close and moved one hand across to softly stroke his hair.

“I’m listening” he whispered softy into his ear. 

…

/p>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (.) There wasn't as much Manipulative Gellert in this chapter as I originally intended as the Ariana illness plot arc took necessary dominance. 
> 
> (.) With regards to mine and ARK's art, which do you all prefer? The simple, basic and almost anime style from the previous chapter or the realistic 'video game' version added to this chapter alongside an additional one of Gellert. Let me know ... and that's the style we'll stick with from now on. 
> 
> (.) When I picture Bathilda, Kendra and Honoria in my head, I see Kate Winslet, Kristin Scott Thomas and Helen Mirren :) 
> 
> Hope everyone is having a pleasant weekend so far <3


	13. Truths come out – Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slightly shorter chapter than normal, but an angsty one. For obvious reasons, I'm finding angst much harder to write than the usual lighthearted banter, so hence the longer timeframe it took to write it. So as the story moves towards its climax, few day gaps may emerge between updates. 
> 
> Thanks as always for reading <3 the positive feedback has been really taken to heart and I am very happy so many people have enjoyed my adapted story. Only a few chapters left now (I think at least 5 or 6?), so I'll do my best to make them worth all the build up!
> 
> <3

13\. Truths come out – Part 2

Albus leant back, gazing into the caring eyes on the boy next to him, he then smiled sadly. Gellert continued stroking his hair and gave him an encouraging smile back. Feeling flutters in his chest, Albus took a breath and began - 

“As I’ve told you before, we used to live in Holland Park” he stated, “It’s one of the most expensive districts in London.

“- and you used to buy Prada shoes” added Gellert, nodding a him.  
“My father used to make a lot of money” said Albus simply, stroking the dragon tattoo on Gellert’s bicep, “He was a very powerful man”.

Having suddenly realised that Albus had never mentioned a father until now, Gellert bit down disappointment with himself for having not given the missing family member much prior thought.

“Was?” he asked perplexed, 

“Yes” said Albus dejectedly, “and he and mother had friends in very high places, there was a lot of social gatherings and some of these acquaintances of theirs had children also, one such family had a boy Aberforth’s age that my sister had a crush on, they went to school together, I’m certain he knew, because it led to what then happened” 

Albus took another staggering breath and Gellert feeling his discomfort, used the hand that was stroking his hair to instead place over the top of the one resting on the pillow. He gripped it firmly for reassurance and Albus feeling strength in the touch continued –

“Ariana received permission from my mother to attend a slumber party with some friends at school” Albus’ explained to Gellert who immediately understood. 

“It was a different kind of party” he confirmed, feeling the dread of what was coming. 

“She was in her first year of high school” said Albus sympathetically, “she just wanted to fit in, so she lied to my mother and father saying it was a slumber party with just girls, however it was an actual party, with alcohol, drugs and boys”. 

“Your mother gave me the strong and obvious impression that she is a controlling type” said Gellert dismayed, “Did she not think to ring up the parents and check?”

“No, these were some of the very rich, high status people that mother used to suck up to” said Albus bitterly, “That alone made it ok in her terms, plus she’s never been as controlling with my siblings, that’s something she honorarily saves for me, Aberforth gets to meet with Vinda late at night, but with you there needs to be an examination and further ongoing approval”

“Why is she like this with you” said Gellert angrily. 

It’s an insecurity and comfort thing …” Albus began attempting to explain.

“It’s an unfair and unreasonable thing” Gellert interrupted furiously, “She should not be restricting you and your choices”

“I know” said Albus protested, “but for now it can’t be helped, I need to support her and my family”

“You need to support yourself and your needs, otherwise you’ll stay imprisoned forever!” said Gellert in a forceful, unsettling tone, that Albus used to his soft, cheeky one had never heard before, and additionally wasn’t sure whether he liked it, - “I won’t allow it, not now that you’re mine as well as hers” Gellert finished with a frightening look, that made Albus withdraw in intimidation. 

Catching himself, Gellert expression softened immediately and with gentle hands, pulled the other boy back towards him.

“I’m sorry” Gellert whispered soothingly into his hair, “I care about you and it’s something that makes me mad, that’s all …”

“I know” Albus replied anxiously. 

“What happened to your father and sister?” Gellert then asked, moving to push the other topic of conversation forward and its details out of unknown obscurity. 

“Well my sister went to this party” Albus continued on, “and this is all hypothetical since I wasn’t there and she won’t talk about it, but she met up with the boy I mentioned, was most probably having fun and feeling comfortable around him and being that she would have been paying attention to his face and not his hands, it would have been easy for him to spike her drink with something …”

“Did he ...?” Gellert asked carefully, not feeling the need nor appropriateness to fully finish the sentence. 

“I don't know exactly what happened" Albus replied grimly "the wounds weren’t in places we could see, but I believe she woke up a few hours later very confused, I guess everyone around her just assumed she had passed out from too much alcohol? - from there she managed to get herself out the house and onto a tube home. I remember it as clear as daylight, we were all in the family room at the time, she came through the front door and down the hallway. I knew straight away from the look of her that something was very wrong … seconds later she broke down in tears” he said with a shaky voice, making Gellert grip him even firmer. 

“Father took her upstairs into her bedroom and she told him everything. Next second, without a word to us, he stormed out the house, then a couple of excruciating hours later we received a call to say he has been taken into custody for the attack and grievous bodily harm of an underage person, a 10 year sentence if convicted, - which he was … not long after, my father was always a calm and caring man, he'd never lost control so drastically before” he added burying his head into Gellert’s chest once more. 

“and Ariana?” said Gellert in an undertone. 

“Has kept quiet about it ever since” Albus confirmed morbidly, “- out of fear, trauma and guilt for what happened to my father”

For a while the room was silent and still. The only distinct noise and movement came in the form of shallow breathing from the slender boy with red hair, of whom the other boy had maintained a steady hold on. The strong breathing continued, until Albus eventually found both way and courage to speak again.

“We managed to stay in the house for a further 7 months, but with father gone and also having to pay damages to the boy’s family, we then had to move here. Aberforth and I further went into public schooling and we now also help our mother pay the bills” he stated concisely between steady breaths, “You have to forgive my mother in a way … for 24 years she and father were together and all those years he financially looked after the family, now she’s in a world of having to work and deal with us all on her own” he further explained

“and now instead of your father, she relies on you” Gellert confirmed, repeating Albus’ thoughts back to him and stroking his hair once more. 

“Basically” said Albus in reply, “Even though physically Aberforth does most things around the house, I’m the one in university on my way towards being something, Aberforth is very unlikely to go and will probably get a basic full time job after school because he’s never been analytically minded, so it’s on me, I’m her confidence and her sense of long-term security” 

“and she won’t get Ariana help” said Gellert exasperatedly, - “why?”

“Because mother has always worried about other’s opinions, but even more so after my father’s arrest made front page news. Everyone who knew us, knew after that and mother was disgraced in place of my locked away father. So, in her trying to do things on her own for Ariana, she’s in one way trying to prove herself capable of it, - but more so trying to evade further negative attention towards herself and our family. If it were found out that my sister stays hidden in her room and can’t leave the house, mother worries she’ll get blamed for it and her fear of further backlash is so intense, she stays in denial over the fact that what she is doing isn’t working and in general, things are falling to pieces”

“Hence why she now control’s you more than ever” Gellert added bitterly, “because you’re something she ‘can’ control, in place of things she can’t, and she’s worried about something similar happening to you”

“Yes” Albus confirmed sadly, “That’s the way it is, but not the way my brother sees it, he sees her paying attention to me rather than my sick sister; and he further sees me not being home when I’m stuck late at clients houses as me avoiding sharing in the responsibly for her. She still gets regular panic attacks you see, very bad ones; and often needs one of us to help her out of it, which due to my absence is usually him or mother. So, our relationship as of late hasn’t been good, in fact it hasn’t been for a long time now …”

It was at that moment a French girl who had been ears dropping through the door on her way back from the bathroom, chose to take her leave. It was also the moment in which Gellert chose to roll himself on top of the other boy once more. For these vast amounts of second’s, he wanted to be the only one Albus needed. To provide him with warmth, security and comfort. To kiss away all of his worry and sadness and fiercely protect him from the cause of it. He wanted this boy to forget everyone else and focus only on him and what he could provide for him …

“If I could take you away, we’d go” he said to the other boy whilst caressing his face, “we could go anywhere you want, you want to go to South East Asia? we’ll go … there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make you happy and free from everything that’s making you not. You remember what I said to you in Camden the other day? Well I meant it! - let me help you to break away from it” 

“I can’t go anywhere Gellert” said Albus timidly, “I can’t just leave my family …”

“Why not?” Gellert challenged him firmly, “I know you’ve thought about it, I could tell from when you asked me about running away from the top of that hill, - nothing is out of limits remember?”

“I understand … but my sister” –

“Has your mother and your brother … you said it yourself, you’re barely home at the moment. So what real difference would it make if you were gone permanently? Do you honestly believe your mother doesn’t pocket some of the cash you provide for her? – she can go get a full time job, rather than a part time one and actually learn how to be independent and self-sufficient for once! - as opposed to having to rely on her family” Gellert declared in the same forceful tone as before, making Albus quiver once more

“- Also, my aunt’s ex-girlfriend Julie is a child psychologist” he rattled on, “So maybe my aunt can be the one to finally convince your mother to swallow her fears and take Ariana to see someone? As she knows a lot about this sort of thing” 

“Gellert …” Albus responded faintly.

Gellert suddenly sensing the other’s discomfort once more, softened his expression and smiled down caringly at him.

“Well now about this for now” he said to other boy gently, “Let’s try another reckless and fun time out, one you’re mother doesn’t need to know about because despite my mannerism downstairs, I really don’t feel the need to have to get things ticked off with her. So long as I stay good to her in face value, that’s all I care about for now. It can be late at night even, ‘Vinda and Aberforth’ style, what do you say to that at least?” he added hopefully, - “allow yourself to once again do something without her or your brothers approval and feel the sense of freedom from it?”

Albus blinked rapidly up at the enthusiastic boy above him and proceeded to contemplate the notion for a few moments, before at last coming to an inner brave decision. 

“Yes” he said boldly, whilst smiling eagerly up at the now triumphant faced boy, “Yes … I would love to recklessly sneak out at night with you” he added with a wink that further made Gellert snigger a little. 

Revelling in sensation of success, Gellert leant down and captured Albus’ lips with his own once more and feeling like no sad conversation had ever occurred, the two continued their former making out for the passing of seconds … minutes … longer! Coming up for air Albus’ giggled slightly and gazed back up at Gellert’s lovingly. 

“- and will you hold you when the night is over” he further asked him, with the slightest trace of a smirk, of which Gellert noticing, smiled wickedly back.

“Yes … and this time, I won’t let you go”

~

Aberforth was kitchen, in the middle of fixing yet another broken household product when his mother came home through the front door. Momentarily distracted from his task, he looked up at her to see she was slightly disconcerted, which wasn’t out of the normal, but based on the specifics of her outing today he was intrigued. 

“How did your meet and greet go?” said Aberforth steadily, “Do you need a cup of tea?”

“How’s your sister” Kendra asked, removing her scarf and placing herself down at the table opposite him. 

“Fine” said Aberforth taken back slightly, “Just taking a nap …”

“Ok” said Kendra brushing her hair back of her face, “- and no thank you darling, I’ve had enough tea this afternoon to sink a child’s boat”

“Wine?” Aberforth further asked knowingly.

“Wine will work yes” said his mother with a slight smile. 

Aberforth got up from his seat and from the fridge pulled out a bottle of pink coloured wine, that his mother had brought the previous afternoon. 

“Pour yourself one if you like” said Kendra, watching him closely, “I think you deserve one”

“Excuse me?” Aberforth asked her over his shoulder baffled, such a gesture was not usual of her.

“Have a drink with you mother” Kendra completed firmly, “It’s a pleasant afternoon for such an indulgence don’t you think?”

“I guess so” said Aberforth thickly and obeying her orders, poured two ‘small’ glasses of wine. After placing her glass in front of her, he brushed his handywork aside, knowing from the pit of his stomach that there were things she wanted to talk to him about. 

Sitting back down and gazing towards his mother, he found himself surprised to see her looking no longer flustered, in fact that the expression on her face was one he personally felt he hadn’t seen from in a long time. It was a strange mix of adoration, peace and … love?

“It goes so quickly you know” she said to him softly, “One minute your children are running around the house, knocking furniture over, the next day they’re full grown men in relationships, - you’ve become a man overnight and it’s such a startling thing to see … and I know you will always be ok when you get out there in the world, you a strong human being, you always have been …” she said sighing and now turning to look wistfully out the kitchen window. 

Aberforth sat blinking at her. 

“I’m not going anywhere mother; you know full well I am needed here” he blurted out. 

“I think you place too much pressure on yourself because some days I don’t place enough on myself” said Kendra woefully in response, “But I don’t want to be that way anymore, I don’t want to continue fights with your aunt, I don’t want strangers judging me, I don’t want you angry with me and I don’t want to continue feeling like I’m failing as a mother” she added lips quivering a little. 

“You’re not failing as a mother” said Aberforth, shocked by her admission. 

“Aren’t I?” said Kendra, “You said it yourself, I barely know my own children anymore, until last week I didn’t know your brother was gay, no matter what I try … I cannot get through to your sister and for the record, I never knew that girls who dress in leather boots and wear red lipstick would be your type, though I don’t like her clothing that much, she’s a nice girl and has a lot of confidence in herself, which I admire …”

“Hang on, what?” spluttered Aberforth dumbstruck

“I met Vinda” said Kendra with a small smile, “- and your being ridiculous, of course she can come over here when you want her to …”

There was an awkward silence at the table for a few moments until –

“I didn’t realise she would be there” said Aberforth stiffly. 

“Nor did I” said his mother complacently, “but she’s Gellert’s best friend isn’t she? … I guess in hearing that I was going there to meet him, she wanted to be there to meet me as well” she added thoughtfully. 

“Right” said Aberforth darkly, pulling his project back towards him for something to do with his hands, “and how did you find Gellert then?” he added with snide interest. 

“I’m not sure to be honest” said Kendra with renowned firmness in her face and tone, “By all first case appearances, he seems more than fine, but I think that’s something I’ll be needing to judge overtime”.

“So, you’ve given him your approval?” asked Aberforth repulsed

“For now, yes” said Kendra simply, “He’s a high achiever, comes from a prosperous family and appears really intent on taking care of your brother” 

“Mother …” Aberforth began, putting his project back down again, 

“I know” she responded to him in an even firmer voice, “But for once, I want to give your brother the benefit of the doubt over something”

Aberforth bit his tongue violently and picked his work back up again. Kendra however sat silently, a tense frown appearing across her face.

“Unlike you, Albus worries me a lot … he’s not as strong as you, I worry so much about him making bad choices and getting hurt” said Kendra quietly, whilst burying her face into her hands, “but as you and everyone else keeps reminding me … he’s 18, so allowing him his own pathway and decisions is also something I need to start trying harder to do, that’s what your father told me before he went …”

“Gellert isn’t who he’s convincing you he is mother” said Aberforth savagely, placing his project back down, more violently than before.

“Oh …” said Kendra with a raised eyebrow, “and you know best, do you? last I looked you don’t really like or trust anyone … and last I looked, you’re still using your fists instead of rationality to solve interpersonal conflicts, it’s as if your father’s incarceration has taught you absolutely nothing” she added furiously. 

Aberforth stayed quiet at that and looked down at his work with a combination of both embarrassment and strong bitterness. 

His mother noticing his withdrawal, changed her stance to back to that of needed care and compassion. 

“I’m sorry” she said moderately to him

“It’s fine” he replied gruffly, taking a strong sip of his slightly too sweet wine. 

“To be honest, if it were left up to us, no one would be good enough for your brother” said Kendra complacently, “and on that note, in an effort for us all to get to know each other better I’ve already mentioned to Gellert and Vinda - that I want them over for dinner at the some point, maybe next weekend since you don’t normally work Saturday nights” she added to him in a hopeful tone 

“Sounds delightful” he replied sarcastically. 

“Good” she said nodding and stood up from the table, glass in hand, “Excuse me while I go check up on your sister” she added, before walking swiftly out of the room. 

Aberforth lost in both detrimental and confused thoughts, jumped violently when the sound of a text message coming through on his phone startled him. Grumbling to himself, he picked it out from his pocket and read the message on screen. 

[Vinda;

I need to talk to you …  
Meet me at Clapham Common  
skatepark, I’ll be there waiting in  
10 …]

Aberforth frowned deeply, before shooting a quick glance at the clock, - 5:30pm. Believing he had time to see what she wanted before needing to start dinner, he got up from the table, walked out the kitchen, stopped briefly to grab a lightweight jacket from the hooks near the front door and left out into the early evening. 

~

Vinda as an easy going, joyous young woman, who saw the fun in life and light in everything around her, wasn’t one to get upset too easily. A positive thing in a way, but also an injurious thing, being that when these moments did come, they came hard. Additionally, in being a compassionate person who had life in her own firm grip, she wasn’t one to try and not step in when she found those with whom she cared about, struggling to maintain hold of theirs. 

When this troubled boy came into her life three weeks ago, she emotionally fell both heavy and fast into his problematic world. Aberforth had never spoke directly with her about any of the issues going on in his family, until his outburst at her university the prior week. Previous moments together up late at night under the covers of her accommodated bed, it was her who mostly spoke. She talked about her own family, her former life in Paris and her hopes and dreams and with a slight smile on his face, he listened. But whatever dreams, hopes or happiness he had, he never shared in return and now for the very first time since ears dropping on her brother’s conversation not one-hour prior, she at last finally understood why. It was as if she had suddenly jumped into a pool of liquid understanding regarding issues that had before were kept vague, ominous and out of her reach. 

But she wasn’t having it, despite all reason’s he gave her not to – his rudeness, his standoffish behaviour, his slightly unfair thoughts and poor attitude towards his very sweet brother, she really couldn’t help but feel something for him. It wasn’t all broad shoulder, strong arms and nice eyes … there was something else there as well, something that was driving her hard and fast towards him. 

“Is this really a safe place for you to be hanging out alone at night?” a gruff irritated voice rang out, interrupting her thoughts and forcing her to look up. 

“It’s barely night” she replied to him scowling, “and I can handle myself fine, thank you very much”

“Oh, for sure” he fired back and within that moment, she noticed just how angry he was, “what right did you have to corner my mother today?” he added furiously. 

“Corner her?” she answered back flabbergasted.

“Is that not what you were doing?” he said, now standing directly down in front of her, from her seat on top of the skate ramp, “You and your friend are entirely the same, you manipulate people to get what you want”

“Maybe try using your brain to see it another way” said Vinda just as angrily back, “You’re the most stubborn, pig headed person I’ve ever known, maybe I just wanted to meet your mother in person and learn about her myself, after she so upset you the other day”

“How is that any of your personal business?” Aberforth snarled.

“Because Mon Amour, you are making it my business” said Vinda furiously back at him, “I’m finding it impossible to continue being just your hook up buddy, since within a short space of time, yourself and your brother have started to become people I really care about, and I don’t apologise for that! - if you didn’t want me involved, then why would you skip school and seek refugee with me during a moment that you were upset? you could have gone anywhere, with any other girl, but you chose to come to me because maybe, just perhaps maybe! I’m someone you can trust right?”

Aberforth didn’t say anything, instead he turned and frustratingly kicked a small stone pebble off into the distance, where it ricocheted off a night lamp. The sound echoed against the peaceful silence of the deserted park, where only the two of them stood. 

“I know about your sister” Vinda then said to him quietly, “I overheard Albus’ telling Gellert about what happened to her” 

“He WHAT?” Aberforth practically shrieked and turned violently back towards her, every inch of his body radiating fury. 

“Tell me rationally, what the problem is with that?” Vinda snarled in his direction, “Gellert is Albus’ boyfriend, if he wants too, he can share personal information with him, same as you can with me, if only you would just open up those stiff arms of yours to let me and trust me!”

“It’s not about you” said Aberforth exasperatedly back, “It’s about who I can trust around my family, you have absolutely no idea we went through after it happened, what my sister is still going through!”

“Then help me to understand” said Vinda now jumping down from the ramp to now stand directly in front of him, “I want to … I told you before during that night in Brixton, I want to know everything about you … I want to meet your sister” she added firmly. 

Aberforth bit his lip and looked away, Vinda however took a few more steps so that she was now within his personal space, from there she grabbed his sides, forcing him to look at her. 

“Do you trust me” she said to him softly, “Have I so far given you any reason not to?”

Aberforth taking a deep surrendering breath, turned his head back towards her. Her look was soft yet determined and he found himself yielding towards it. Perhaps he needed to?

“Good” she said to him nodding, “Keep that in mind next time you feel the need to blow your lid off at me”

“I’m sorry” he said to her, “Everything is just – “

“Fucked up?” she questioned, “Yes you’ve told me before”

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t know what’s going on anymore” he said to her distressfully, “Sometimes I don’t feel like a whole person anymore, I feel like someone who is ripping apart at the seams, in all directions, there’s a part keeping my mother stable, a part that’s desperately trying to bring my sister back, a part that’s trying to stop our household from falling over whilst I’m constantly fixing things and doing the other stuff they don’t know how to do and a part that’s trying to keep Albus from floating away – that part I also do for my mother” he added resentfully.

“There is a 'whole' part of you that loves his family very much and is trying desperately to keep them together and be their strength for them” said Vinda softly.

“But I’m not” said Aberforth disdainfully, “Not even by half, and having so much out of my control makes me so”

“Angry” said Vinda nodding sympathetically, “I know, I understand ...”

“and meanwhile the person whose job it should be, the person who is meant to be my older brother, hides away from it all and isn’t helping one bit” he added with a trace of venom in his voice. 

“But do you really think that’s a fair assumption to make?” Vinda argued reasonably, “He is helping your family in a different way, doing what your mother wants him to do, I saw them together today, I’ve never seen a woman be so controlling of her son”

“He lets her be controlling of him” said Aberforth darkly, “And it’s not that simple … you don’t know him well enough to know what he is like” 

“What are you really resentful of Aberforth” said Vinda with raised eyebrows, “The fact that your mother pays more attention to him over you and your sister or the fact that he is perhaps a different person to you and not who you want him to be?”

There was silence between the two after that comment, a silence that was shortly afterwards broken by the strong voice of a compassionate French girl. 

“He’s not your father and neither are you” she said to him firmly.

Aberforth shot her befuddled look. 

“I’m sorry” he repeated to her in a voice that wasn’t his own, it was a voice that was fragile and seemingly lost in the confusion of both the moment and his own conflicting headspace, “I don’t not to argue with you over this, it’s complicated all right” he added bitterly, staring back down at the ground. 

“It’s not arguing, its discussing” Vinda corrected, “It’s what people in a relationship do …”

Aberforth’s head shot up rapidly.

“Relationship?” he spluttered at her

“Yes Aberforth, a relationship” said Vinda rolling her eyes him, “I’m making the call and you’re answering it”

Aberforth stared at her dumbfounded and as if finally sensing both the need and invite, she moved forward and wrapped herself in his arms. The same ones she felt were now finally open for her. 

“and relax Mon Amour” she said with a smirk, “I never said I was your girlfriend”

Aberforth snorted into her hair and allowed himself to be both physically and emotionally absorbed in her touch. For he did trust her and for now that alone was small comfort against the fact that there was someone else new in his life 

that he still didn’t …

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (.) Keeping in mind, Gellert is a dark character in canon. Even though he's not an evil character in mine (far from it), his personality and tendencies may make him at least partial cause of some of the conflict that's about to hit.


	14. Baby Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another two part chapter, to avoid them being too long. 
> 
> Vinda and Minerva are the stars of this first half!

14\. Baby Steps. 

Dear Albus

Never mind what’s going on with me right now. Your last sentence worries me a little. 

I know that you’ve thought often about leaving but you know, and I know that isn’t the answer. You’ll be avoiding your problems rather than facing them. I understand and realise I am not one to talk on this matter as I’ve never been good at facing my problems and in the past have had you do it for me, but this isn’t schoolyard politics or a difficult assignment, this is big, its significant and it’s real life. I believe you really like Gellert, that is obvious, but he also sounds to me like someone you need to be cautious with. Perhaps your brother is right in that sense … did you not mention to me in a previous email that he was expelled? He seems maybe the type to do reckless things and doesn’t think much about the consequences. 

I’m sorry if this email comes across as unsupportive, but I am someone who has and always will have your best interests in heart and even if it means telling you things you don’t want to hear, Know that I’ll always have your back regardless and please continue reaching out to me when things become too overwhelming. 

Always

Elphias

~

“Don’t tell me you did it? Oh, Mon Cheri that is parfaite, you’ve quite literally made my morning” said Vinda laughing at the slightly pinkened cheeked girl next to her. 

“Keep your voice down” Minerva snapped at her, “and I don’t know if that’s the terminology I’d used to describe it, but yes we conducted in that somewhat private affair” she added stuttering a little

“You are so proper” said Vinda exasperatedly, “You had sex! shout it out, its natural, it’s incredible and it’s not a big deal” 

“Not to you it isn’t” said Minerva loftily, whilst scrolling through images on her phone, “and he was a proper gentleman about it, thank you for asking”

“I wouldn’t have helped set you up with any less” said Vinda smirking, making the other girl go pink cheeked yet again, her lips pursed a tad. 

“I’m glad you are getting along so well is all” said Vinda shrugging and taking a sip of her mocha. 

“We are, he’s kind and mature, and responsible and knows how to conduct himself” Minerva rambled heartedly in response.

“and you like him a lot” said Vinda knowingly, giving her a wide smirk, “I can tell it’s going in that direction, you should be so happy” 

“hmmm and how’s it going with your nut?” asked Minerva smirking a little back at her. 

“Cracking-ly” said Vinda promptly, digging a marshmallow from the frothy section of her drink with a manicured finger. 

Minvera smiled sincerely at her, before turning her attention back to her phone. 

“Look” she said showing the other girl, a recent image on her phone, “That’s Inverness Castle, I hadn’t been there in so long, so he decided that’s where we would go the following day. It’s a very strange thing isn’t, what you take for granted when you’re there and what you miss when you no longer are? It’s one of the most beautiful places in my memory and until recently I’d forgotten all about it” 

Vinda smiled sympathetically at the image, sharing in the other girl’s nostalgia. 

“Well it depends highly on what meaning it has for you” she confirmed in a rather precise tone. 

“Do you not miss home?” Minerva asked her curiously, “Places like the Champs-Élysées, Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre?

“Of course” she replied swiftly, “But I also love my new home and my new life here, I love my band, I love Gellert and his aunt … it depends on what weighs in more” she added thoughtfully, - “I’m the type to adapt to my environment I guess …”

“You someone whose very self-assured” Minvera, pointed out, “I guess not all of us are, some of us need our go-to comforts” 

“Don’t we ourselves know a woman who is like that” said Vinda nodding in the direction of Albus, who stood in the distance, emerged in a private conversation with Gellert. 

They were once more sat outside the ‘School of Education’ building and whilst Minvera and Vinda sat on top of their usual lunch bench sipping hot drinks, Gellert had swayed Albus over to a nearby brick wall for some discussion he wanted only the other boy’s ears to hear.

“That poor family” said Minerva dully, “When I first met Albus, he was a polite and courteous as ever, but deep down I knew he was very sad about something, then afterwards I found out what was going on and … well, it made me very protective of him for a bit”

“Oh, I know” said Vinda with an amused smile, “I remember you glaring at my bestie whenever he was trying to catch Albus’ attention” she added cheekily. 

Minvera smiled weakly at her prior observation. 

“I was wrong to judge you both” she said gently, “You know Albus’ and his personal life now, so you understand of course?”

“We protect the ones we love” Vinda confirmed empathetically, “and I understand, Gellert doesn’t always project himself as the innocent and harmless type” she added with a smirk in the boy’s direction, - “How you were, is actually not that much different to Aberforth, and how he sees Gellert”

“Which is going to make this dinner on Saturday night very interesting” said Minerva frowning, making Vinda laugh boldly in response. 

“We’ll be comrade in arms you and I, you can help me wave the white flag when and where needed” she added cheekily.

“Oh, absolutely not! I’m staying well and truly out of it” said Minerva aghast, earning more sniggers from Vinda. 

“We’ll have to see how it goes” she added with an excited grin. 

~

At their mother’s insistence, Albus and Aberforth had both simultaneously invited their other halves to an up and coming dinner on Saturday night. At his own insistence, Albus had also extended the invite to Gellert’s Aunt Bathilda and his friend Minerva, - of whom he felt alongside Vinda, he might need for personal support in case of tension between his brother and his boyfriend occurring. He also knew that his mother loved his friend and he himself loved Aunt Bathilda, so the more the merrier! 

“I’m not cooking for 8 people mother” his brother snapped, “If you want this dinner to go ahead, then we’re ordering pizza”.

“Absolutely not!” his mother responded with a look of horror on her face, “Honestly Aberforth, this will be the first time we have Albus’ boyfriend and your ‘something rather’ girlfriend over for a meal and you want to mark such a vital and contiguous occasion with - ‘pizza’?” she added scandalized. 

“God damnit mother, you’ve met these people yourself” said Aberforth impatiently back, “I’ve watched Vinda eat 1 pound two-minute noodles out of a cup with fast food chopsticks and drink wine from a sack, she’s not going to care what you serve her”.

“Don’t be ridiculous, she’s French, of course she will” his mother argued stubbornly, “and if that’s her regular diet, then all the more reason to feed her properly”. 

“How about fish and chips?” said Albus dully from the kitchen table where he sat next to Ariana, who giggled at his suggestion. 

“We are going to make a good impression by cooking a proper meal” his mother snapped in reply, “End of story”

~

“So that’s the plan anyway” said Gellert confidently to the boy in front of him, “After your mother, brother and sister have gone to bed, I’ll come back and we’ll sneak out, Vinda will be staying over your house so she’ll be busy keeping your brother distracted anyway; and so long as we make sure your mother drinks plenty of wine that night, it should be more than a simple getaway” he added with a wicked expression. 

“Ok” Albus stammered in response, far less confident, “and we’ll be back –“

“At precisely 5:30am, before everyone wakes up” said Gellert reassuringly to him, “I promise”

“Ok” Albus repeated anxiously, fidgeting with his new ring. 

In the same manner his aunt does, whenever he himself is flustered, Gellert grabbed each of Albus’s hands and squeezed them firmly.

“Have confidence in me Liebling” said Gellert gently, “and have confidence in yourself … it’ll be fun! trust me …”

“I do” Albus replied looking dotingly up at the other boy, who responded by pecking him affectionately on the bridge of his nose. 

~

Away from them, the girls sat in silence watching them the same way a cinema audience would contemplate an overly sweet romance scene, with measurable amounts of intrigue, warmth and that slight bit of cringe. Then suddenly and determinedly, Vinda turned in the other girl’s direction. 

“You’ve met Ariana right” she asked Minerva, whom suddenly froze.

“Yes” said Minerva slowly, giving the other girl a questioning look.

“What should I need to know before trying to talk to her” Vinda asked in a serious tone, that was highly unusual of her. 

Minerva raised her eyebrows slightly, then responded. 

“That she’s fragile, let’s just leave it at that …”

~

Saturday rolled in with as much peace and stillness a lapse of time could offer, that was of course until the sudden, ironic disruption of an oven door exploding dangerously within a household in Clapham Common. Albus who had been sat at his desk contemplating Elphias email, jumped two foot into the air and raced downstairs to the kitchen where his brother stood staring angrily at the remains of their former appliance. 

“It’s all experimental fun and hazardous games, until the oven explodes on the day, we really need it to be working” Aberforth snarled, proceeding to pick up the larger pieces of glass off the floor and place them into the bin. “What do I expect being the only one who can properly cook and look after things in this household! mother is not going to be happy …” he added disdainfully 

“Well …” said Albus placidly, moving quickly to grab a dustpan and brush and sweep up the smaller shattered pieces, “I suppose we could come up with something that doesn’t involve use of an oven?” he added with a hopeful look at his brother. 

“Don’t be daft Albus” his brother snapped in reply, “Look at the state of this kitchen! It will take us the rest of the afternoon to clean and sort this out, - and also if this is a gas issue, which I am already assuming it is, we’ll need to call in an emergency repairman and fixing it could take a couple of hours, we’re not going to have time to prepare anything!” 

Albus didn’t reply, rather sighed and stood up. Clutching his dustpan of full glass mixed with black grime and dirty brush, he directed a grim and downtrodden expression at his brother, who having removed the tray of food from the oven (also full of glass), turned around in his direction and returned it. 

“Fish and Chips?” Aberforth asked him dully. 

~

It was 5:00pm when the brothers at last said goodbye to the repair man. From there with Aberforth grabbing his lightweight jacket and Albus grabbing his new denim one, they proceeded in a panicked rush down their street and up Abbeville Road to the local Fish and Chip Shop. There they stood, eye’s scanning across the menu advertising battered seafood, deep fried chips and an array of additional absurd things - like curry sauce and pickled eggs. 

“Again, mum is going to kill us” said Aberforth from the corner of his mouth to his brother. 

Albus ignored him and stepped towards the grey hair woman waiting politely at the counter. 

“Hello” he said to the woman, “Um … we’re buying dinner for 8 people so what do you recommend?”

The woman raised her eyebrows at him, then cleared her throat. 

“Well the battered cod is the usual winner” she said slightly baffled, “It’s not so much a strong-tasting fish as the others, so I recommend getting 8 pieces of that, which will make one each, then 5 large portions of chips and whatever extras you may want, the fish cakes are good” she added nodding. 

“What on earth is a fish cake?” asked Albus flabbergasted, had he even known such a cake existed in the past, it still would not have made the cut on his choice of birthday cake preferences.

The sweaty woman gave him a look that suggested she wasn’t sure whether or not he was joking. 

“I’m beginning to get the impression you boys have never ordered fish and chips before” said she doubtfully at them, making Albus go slightly pink cheeked. 

Before he could say anything however, a separate voice intervened. 

“Yes, we’ll have 8 of those as well Mavis” the voice said, as toned arms proceeded to embrace Albus’ from behind, “and 16 pieces of scampi, and tartare sauce” he added expertly giving the woman a cheeky grin. 

“Right you are Gellert” she said giving the boy an appreciative smile, then proceeded to ring up the order on her till.

“Hang on” Aberforth angrily interrupted, “We’ve only got 30 pounds on us and I’m no expert I’m sure we do not need 5 bags of chips?” he added giving Gellert a nasty look. 

“Well so long as you’re no expert, why don’t you take over the ordering” said Gellert simply, wrapping his arms tighter around the boy in front of him and pulling him away slightly. 

Aberforth gave him a look of deep loathing then turned to the grey hair lady called Mavis. 

“All of the above minus the overpriced scampi and 4 bags of chips rather than 5” he added snidely

“6” Gellert protested with a smirk.

“4” Aberforth repeated in a highly irritated tone. 

“7” – 

“Ok 5 then!” he snapped giving the woman her money, as Gellert smirked wider than ever next him.

~

“So what” said Aberforth glaring at Gellert as they proceeded back down Abbeville Road, hands full of take-away bags in the direction of their street, “It’s not enough that you’re dating my brother, now you feel the unnecessary need to stalk to him as well?” he added aggressively. 

“I live on the same street as you Abe, remember?” said Gellert casually, squeezing the hand of the boy who was clutching his from behind them, “Meaning I was in the neighbourhood, buying cigarettes from Hunar at the 24 hour license next door, then suddenly I saw a stunning prince and his rough stallion rush past and how could a high spirited and momentarily intrigued bard such as myself, not curiously follow?”

“Christ Almighty” said Aberforth in a loud and exasperated voice, as they turned onto their street, “I’ve been downgraded from a knight, to a princess and now a stallion, when will these insane, annoying Medieval fantasy references of yours and Vinda’s come to an end?” 

“Once all the damsels have been saved and the dragon’s annihilated” said Gellert simply, making Aberforth curse under his breath and Albus giggle slightly.

“- and besides” he added in a matter of fact tone, “We’re in England! what better place to celebrate such heart-warming references than here? Even our prudent friend Minerva got herself to a castle with her own prince last weekend”

“This isn’t Medieval fantasy England” Aberforth snapped back at him, “This is modern day UK, - the real world, with real people, real situations and real consequences and … that’s my ‘real’ and really annoying girlfriend” he added with a groan, as they approached the middle house on the street belonging to Aunt Bathilda, where Vinda herself was placed on the front steps, watching them approach with a curious and fond gaze. 

“Ah Bonjour, all my fine noble men” she sang, springing up and onto her feet, “Just waiting for Bathilda who is coming now, is that our dinner” she added with interest, eye directed at the bags of food hanging from Aberforth’s full hands and Gellert’s non vacant one. 

“Our oven blew up” Albus answered her in a way of explaining things, to which she and Gellert sniggered. 

“That better explains my former curiosity then” said Gellert brightly, as Bathilda came prancing down the stairs. 

“Oh good” she said briskly, taking both the brothers and food bags into consideration, “I was getting a bit worried that we might be running late, Gellert remind me we need to talk about your nicotine addiction” she added with a scowl at her nephew.

“Aunty, we need to talk about my nicotine addiction” he repeated robotically back to her, then bent down casually to avoid being wacked softly around the head yet again.

~

Kendra having momentarily just arrived home from work, stood in the hallway looking the group up and down and biting her tongue. 

“I had hoped to provide you all with something more decent” she said giving her son’s a somewhat nasty expression.

“The oven door blew mother” Aberforth snapped back at her, “Not my fault! and for getting in a repair man to come and fix the gas leak, as well as arranging an alternative meal solution with my tip money, you’re welcome!”

“What” she asked distracted and moved rapidly into the kitchen, “Oh no” her voice rang out stressed from behind the wall.

“It’s more than fine Kendra” said Bathilda moving through the doorframe to join her, “Mavis and her team do excellent food, we’ve ordered from her plenty of times, nothing to worry about in terms of us” she added placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 

“We’ll have to call in someone separate in to fix the oven itself” said Aberforth joining them with Vinda in tow, “But it may have to wait until next week’s pay mother” he added worriedly 

“Let’s not talk about topics like that in front of our guests Aberforth” his mother hissed back at him, making Bathilda and Vinda share a look. 

Albus shot a pleading look at Gellert and the two of them also entered the kitchen to intervene on the awkward moment. 

“Myself and Gellert will set up the table” said Albus brightly, “Everyone make themselves comfortable in the dining room, it’s just the room to the right next to this one” he added squinting his face in recollection, being not once since moving into this house, had he and his family ever used it. 

“We’ve brought wine and dessert” said Vinda just as enthusiastically, lifting up the bag she had been carrying in her right hand, “Is there space in the fridge Mon Amour?” she added pointedly at her boyfriend, who breaking from his stiffness, cleared his throat slightly and moved to assist her. 

Within 5 minutes, Kendra had relaxed due the helpful assistance of her dinner guests and now sat at the head on the table with a glass of Vinda’s wine, in their previously unused dining room. Minerva had arrived whilst the group had been busy sorting out food onto plates and after sharing a quick hug with Albus and Vinda, stepped in to take a loaded plate from Gellert to place onto the dining room table where she was greeted by the older woman.

“Hello Minerva darling, lovely to see you again” said Kendra nodding her head in the girl’s direction, “The tube wasn’t too busy this afternoon?” she asked in a way of making conversation. 

“Hello Kendra, the tube is always busy, but I’m slowly getting used to it” she replied with a scowl as the rest of the group came in carrying trays and plates.

“Thank you everyone for your help and I apologize once more for the inconvenience of this afternoon” she said diplomatically, addressing the whole group. 

“Nothing to apologize for” said Bathilda firmly, placing herself at the opposite end of the table, whilst the younger guests took places along the sides. Aberforth however remained standing and made to pile up plate of food that he would then place onto a separate tray. Vinda watched him closely and with great curiosity. 

“Where is Ariana?” she asked Kendra politely, turning in her direction. 

Kendra sighed sadly and placed her glass of wine back down. 

“Tonight, may not be her night” she said tediously, “I apologise for that as well …”

Vinda suddenly stood and took the tray from Aberforth’s hands, from there with all eye’s watched her as she added extra food onto the plate for herself. 

“I’ll take it up for her” she said eagerly, then turned on her heel to walk out the room, Aberforth followed her rapidly from behind. 

“What are you doing?” he hissed frantically grabbing her arm gently, so to not hurt her or tamper any of the laid food. 

“Trust me” she responded with a firm gaze, then shifting out of his grasp and proceeded up the staircase whilst he stayed rooted to the spot, stunned eye’s tracing each of her retreating steps. 

~

It didn’t take Vinda long to find the girls room, being it was the only light source radiating on the second floor of the house. Approaching it with soft footsteps, she balanced the tray steadily (and with great difficulty) in one hand and knocked cautiously on the door three times. 

“Yes Aberforth, I’m ok, come in” a stuttered voice rang out

“Not Aberforth” Vinda replied gently, “May I still come in?”

There was silence for a few moments until

“Um … sure I guess” Ariana’s squeaky voice replied. 

Smiling to herself, Vinda opened the door and stepped in. With a quick scan around the yellow walls with pop music icons and Hollywood actors taped onto them, her eyes found a fine framed girl with dirty blonde hair, sat on the floor with her back leaning against the side frame of her white bed. 

Vinda beamed brightly at her. 

“Hello Mon Cherie” she said kindly placing the tray onto floor and herself down next to her, “I’m Vinda Rosier” she added with a reassuring smile at the timid girl.

“I know” said Ariana shakily, “Your Aberforth’s new girlfriend” she added with a small flicker of bemusement.

“Yes, but we don’t use that word” said Vinda winking at her, Ariana smiled weakly return. 

“- So, tonight’s menu is proper English cuisine, with extra rapeseed oil and extra non nutritional goodness” said Vinda biting into a chip and moaning appreciatively. 

Ariana giggled at her but then looked at the food sadly. 

“I don’t think my stomach is up for much tonight” she said miserably, poking at the fish batter with her finger and flinching a little when the tip became covered in grease. 

“Hmmm” Vinda murmured contemplatively gazing down at the fish with a questioning look, “Well to be honest, if I wasn’t feeling well, I probably wouldn’t touch that either, the chips are really good though, nice and warm, they’ll smother any uncomfortable feeling you have going on down there” she added encouragingly, offering her the one she had just picked up. 

Ariana looked at it hesitantly.

“My hands are clean” said Vinda kindly, “Go on … you can’t let me get fat all on my own” she added with a non serious pleading look.

Ariana giggled at her again and accepted the chip. 

As she took a bite, her features automatically brightened.

“Good?” Vinda asked happily

“Really good” she murmured gratefully. 

“- So, let’s make a girl pact” said Vinda encouragingly, “Tonight you don’t allow me to get fat on my own and I won’t allow you to sit up here in isolation on your own, we suffer together oui?

Ariana looked her up and down and grinned.

“Oui” she replied in her attempt at a French accent, a gesture that made Vinda laugh heartedly. 

“We’ll work on that” she said in a gentle tone to the younger girl who once more, smiled weakly in response. 

~

“Well I must say Gellert, I didn’t realise you had so many tattoo’s” Kendra commented, shooting her eldest son a reproachful glance. 

Gellert who hadn’t bothered to cover them up tonight, nodded politely at her. 

“Yes” he said diplomatically back at her, “To me my body is a journal”.

“and so is paper, only it’s far less attention seeking” said Aberforth loftily, who having just re-entered the room, made to take a seat at the table next to Minerva and opposite Albus and Gellert. 

“Which is ‘Aberforth’ code for boring right” Gellert replied conversationally to the other boy who glared at him. 

“By the way dear” said Bathilda stepping in to diffuse a potential squabble, “I’m Bathilda, Gellert’s aunt, we haven’t been formally introduced” she added offering a hand across the table to him. 

“My apologies, Aberforth” he replied civilly, offering his hand back, which she shook firmly. 

“and you are?” said Bathilda graciously to Minerva. 

“Erm … Minerva McGonagall” she replied pink cheeked and flustered, “I’ve just finished your book” she added admiringly. 

Bathilda smiled appreciatively at her 

“Ah yes, you’re the friend Albus was telling me about” she replied just as enthusiastically. 

“Blimey Aunt” added Gellert with feigned astonishment, “Someone else has now read your book!”

“You be quiet” said Bathilda giving him a look. 

Gellert sniggered and turned back towards Aberforth.

“Read much Aberforth?” he asked in a falsely sweet voice. 

“No” the boy replied shortly and, in a way of obviously indicating that he was unwilling to have any type of conversation with Gellert.

“Albus used to read to him and his sister actually” said Kendra, shooting an uncertain look at the greasy food on her plate. She then lifted her gaze to stare between her two remaining silent sons, - “Didn’t you?” she pressed her eldest firmly.

Albus cleared his throat nervously. 

“Well yes … when we were younger, I mean” he commented densely. 

“The word, ‘younger’ meaning a ‘really long time ago’” added Aberforth curtly. 

“Don’t start that talk” said Bathilda gently to him, “You don’t get to talk about being old until your mine and Kendra’s age, right Kendra” she called up the table for backup. 

“Right” said Kendra uncertainly, as if suddenly becoming aware of her own middle age. 

“I think what Aberforth means, is that we don’t do things together much anymore” said Albus quietly, gazing at his brother with affirming eye’s 

“I think what my brother really means is that he personally doesn’t do much with either of us anymore” said Aberforth snidely, taking an aggressive bite of his chip and shooting him a wuthering glance in response. 

“Boys” Kendra rang out sharply, “Enough!” 

An awkward silence fell across the table that was immediately broken by its insecure host. 

“So, Minerva” she said rapidly in the direction of the girl on Aberforth’s left, “I hear your currently dating someone yourself?”

“Yes” she responded hesitantly, before shooting Albus a meaningful look, who simply responded with an ‘I’m sorry!’ one back. 

Minerva sunk deeply into her seat. 

~

“Yeah I’m not sure about this fish” said Vinda with scrutinizing look at the food item in question, “Perhaps a bit bland, would you agree?”

“I have no idea to be very honest with you” Ariana responded, picking her piece up and watching the grease drain back down onto the paper, “I’ve never had fish and chips before”

“Truly?” Vinda said with interest, to which Ariana apologetically smiled. 

“Have you met my mother?” she responded dimly. 

“Hmmm” Vinda murmured thoughtfully, “Safe to say I think your family needs to be more reckless and experimental” she added with encouragement.

“Well I think we’re slowly getting there” said Ariana with a blush, “I mean Albus hoped on to the back of a motorcycle last week and Aberforth now has you” she added with a giggle. 

“and what about you?” Vinda asked her kindly, brushing the latter comment aside, “how do you think we can make you become more courageous and daring?” she asked with caution in her tone. 

Ariana looked at her taken back. 

“Well ummm” she stammered nervously. 

Suddenly both girls were harshly interrupted by the bedroom door opening and closing as another young woman made entry. 

“So much for being a comrade in arms” said Minerva ballistically to the other older girl, “You literally left me to hang down there” 

“Hi Minerva” said Ariana uncertainty and Minerva’s irritated expression swiftly softened. 

“Hi Ariana” she said gently, “Sorry for the intrusion, was just wanting a moment of Vinda’s attention” she added giving the other girl a reproachful look. 

“I apologise Mon Cherie” Vinda simpered back at her, “But I thought Ariana might need some company” she added giving the girl in question a sympathetic look.

“You can join us … I mean … if you want to” said Ariana to the other girl and Vinda smiled at her encouragingly, approving her showcase of confidence. 

“Well” said Minerva taken off guard, “So long as you are comfortable with it then of course” she added sitting down opposite them and grabbing a now lukewarm chip. 

“What’s going on downstairs then, that would cause you to seek sanctuary up here” asked Vinda with eyebrows raised. 

“Nothing overly particular” said Minerva swallowing her food, “Just Aberforth looking to start something with Albus, then in a way of deviating it, his mother began asking me about my love life” she added with pink colour rising to her cheeks – “So I excused myself to use the bathroom and now I’m here” 

“Aberforth and Albus are fighting?” Ariana asked, looking suddenly very downcast. 

Minerva’s eye’s widened slightly 

“No hun, not that kind of fight, just a few back handed comments that’s all, nothing out of the usual” she added reassuringly.

“Perhaps I best get downstairs before Gellert uses that as ammunition” said Vinda rolling her eyes, whilst raising herself to her feet. 

From this position she then turned and smiled kindly down at Ariana, offering her a hand. 

“How about you join us?” she asked her gently

Ariana looked at the hand that was offered to her and the determined look on the face of the girl offering it and began to shake slightly. 

“I can’t …” she said between breaths, “I mean … I want to Vinda, it’s just …”

“There is a lot of people and your nervous” said Vinda kindly, kneeling back down in front of her, “I understand Mon Cherie, but were we not just talking about being reckless and daring? Perhaps maybe now it’s your turn to try something, something simple … what do you think?”

“Don’t push her Vinda” Minerva warned from her seated position. 

“You know Ariana” said Vinda ignoring her, “You’ve technically met me now and you know Minerva, the only people downstairs you now don’t know are Gellert and his aunt and I know for a fact that they are both dying to meet you! And for good reason, you are a beautiful and sweet young woman and I think you’ve got within you the courage to do this, do you?” she added firmly and giving the girl in question a small wink. 

Ariana looked at her with wide eyes and stammered. 

“Um … I don’t know … I mean” she began in a thick voice. 

“What’s that terminology you use Minerva” asked Vinda in the direction of the other girl, “Baby steps?”

“Yes” said Minerva briskly, staring between her and the younger girl still seated on the floor. 

“Baby steps” said Vinda positively, turning back to face Ariana, “Let’s try that shall we Ariana? you grab mine and Minerva’s hand and we’ll walk you slowly downstairs, I promise I won’t let go and at any point and you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed you just squeeze my hand and I’ll bring you straight back up here to your safe space and Minerva’s for that matter” she added giving the other girl a smirk, who gave her a cold look in response. “It’s not leaving the house and getting lost in crowds, it’s just a cheap fish and chips dinner with some people who love you … baby steps!” she repeated softly and kindly. 

Ariana swallowed and looked between the two women timidly, eventually with a small nod she agreef. 

“Parfaite” Vinda cheered, reaching out her hand again of which Ariana grabbed and allowed herself to be raised to her feet. 

Minerva grabbed the food tray with one hand and also stood, with a smile of approval at the other two girls, gladly accepted Ariana’s other hand that she had offered her. 

“You don’t have to do everything all at once but making a start is better than not starting at all” she added sympathetically in the younger girl’s direction who smiled weakly back at her. 

“and you’ll stay with me” said Ariana gazing back at Vinda with a hopeful expression. 

“Yes Mon Cherie, I promise” –

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Gellert verses Aberforth saga continues next round.
> 
> also how close do you all think Albus is to completely snapping?
> 
> Next chapter already in progress :D :)


	15. Wanting all of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big things happens in this chapter
> 
> Lets just leave it at that ...
> 
> be warned, there is a bit more swearing in this chapter than normal also

15\. Wanting all of you. 

At the conclusion of the meal, the group had moved into the family sitting room and once settled, Kendra brought out from her alcohol cabinet a bottle of brandy that she then offered to Bathilda. 

“Why not?” said the woman smiling, “How about you boys” she asked indicating Gellert and Albus.

“Yes please” -

“No thank you” (the taste being too bitter for Albus)

“What’s happened to those girls?” said Kendra frowning, “Aberforth darling, do you think you could pop upstairs and ask Vinda and Minvera if they’d like a glass of brandy?”

“No need Kendra, we’re all here” came the voice of Vinda, who opened the door to the room slightly wider and stood there in plain view, with her two other companions.

~

Ariana stood timidly between the two girls as the room and its occupiers came into view. From there her eyes glazed around all the startled faces and locked upon a tall, tattooed boy with blonde hair. She had seen him before from the distance of her upstairs bedroom window, but here in person in front of her, it was really apparent just how incredibly good looking he was. Perhaps the most handsome boy she’d ever seen in her life. 

The boy in question stood up from his chair and smiling widely, walked the few small paces over and stood directly in front of her. 

“Hello princess” he said smiling down at her, “My name is Gellert” he added in a smooth voice, making her cheeks blush pink. 

“I’m Ariana” she stammered back. 

“Lovely to meet your acquaintance Ariana” he said grabbing her hand and placing a soft kiss onto her knuckles (Aberforth scowled at them from behind him)

“Darling” said Kendra brightly, “How lovely of you to join us, come and sit down all of you, I was just pouring some brandy, would you girls like some?” she added indicating Vinda and Minerva.

“Oui s'il vous plait” – 

“No thank you” –

“Scotch then?” said Kendra nodding at Minerva.

“Yes, scotch would be preferable please” said Minerva gratefully. 

From there, Ariana allowed herself to be led over to the one of the sofa’s where she sat between Gellert and Albus, as Vinda and Minvera took seats opposite them next to Bathilda, whom smiled encouragingly at her. 

“I’m Gellert’s Aunt Bathilda” said Bathilda, also smiling warmly at her, “It’s lovely to meet you in person Ariana” she added genuinely. 

“Thank you” she stammered back, “All of you as well …”

“Why don’t you tell everyone a bit about yourself Ariana” her mother pressed her, whilst handing Bathilda and the girls her drinks. 

“Oh, that’s ok Kendra” said Bathilda with a raised eyebrow at the woman, “She doesn’t have to get put on the spot if she doesn’t want to be there” 

“No, it’s ok” said Ariana a bit frantically, whilst rubbing her legs up and down (a nervous habit), “Well there’s not many interesting things to tell … erm, I’m home-schooled which is kind of embarrassing … and don’t go out a lot” she added thickly.

“I was home-schooled as well” said Gellert to her kindly.

She turned and stared at the boy with wide eyes

“You were?” she asked astonished. 

“Yes, in my final year of high school, shortly after I moved to London to live here with my aunt” he said to her gently

“You were home-schooled in your last year?” said Kendra taking her seat and staring at him just as astonished. 

“Yes” he confirmed in a courteous manner.

“Why may I ask?’ she further added with a pointed look. 

“Because there was a run in at Gellert’s former school in Europe, so I felt it to be a better option for him at the time” said Bathilda coming to his rescue, “To his credit he passed all his subjects with top scores and made it into university” she added encouragingly, giving her nephew a reassuring glance for good measure. 

“- and he’s now the best student in our course and in terms of overall scores, he excels the whole year” added Vinda loyally, smiling fondly at him. 

“I see” said Kendra quietly, taking a sip of her strong drink. 

Gellert smiled weakly at them, then directed his gaze back to Ariana and Albus who each gave him doting expression. One that certainly wasn’t shared by Aberforth however, who from the chair to their lef,t was glaring at him in with the darkest expression he’d so far given him yet. 

~

30 minutes of casual conversation later, Gellert excused himself to step out for a cigarette. Staring up at the night sky, he had just begun contemplating ways in which to wrap things up so he could get Albus out, when his thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him. 

“You were expelled weren’t you?” the voice said coldly.

Rolling his eyes, Gellert turned around to face its owner. There Aberforth stood at the top of the front stairs, with a rubbish bag in one hand glaring down at him. 

“and your using that rubbish bag as an excuse to threaten me away from the others, aren’t you” Gellert replied in a bored tone. 

Aberforth laughed derisively.

“I wonder what you did” he said in a slow and measured voice, coming down the steps, “and what else you’ve done, that’s made you have to leave your country” he added, placing the rubbish into their bin

“That’s fascinating” said Gellert loftily, “Meanwhile I’m standing here, wondering why a pig-headed moron such as yourself, thinks it’s any of his business. 

“You're dating my brother” said Aberforth coldly, turning back towards him. 

“Which makes it his business, not yours” said Gellert firmly.

“But I’ve seen what your like haven’t I” snarled Aberforth sizing the other boy up, “I’ve seen you scheme your way into things, I’ve seen you be cruel to others and I’ve seen a side of you that has no hesitation towards using other people to meet his own ends”

“and I see a confused little boy, who likes to talk big and act like he knows things, that he in fact knows nothing about” said Gellert impatiently back at him.

“Does ‘he’ know” said Aberforth coldly, referring to Albus, “What you did?”

“Yes” said Gellert in a matter of fact tone, chucking his bud to the ground and aggressively stubbing it with his toe, “He does …”

“Then you’re manipulating him as well” said Aberforth angrily. 

“Listen to me” said Gellert, giving him an expression that would send birds flying, “Your brother is my boyfriend … and I care very little whether or not you or the rest of your family like or approve of it” he added fiercely, whilst taking a step towards the younger boy who glared furiously back at him. 

“- and there is really, absolutely nothing you can do about it” Gellert continued on, boring his eyes menacingly into the other boys cold ones, “So back off! he is mine! … and he deserves to live the life he wants with me…” 

“Don’t talk about him like he’s your possession” Aberforth snapped angrily

“Stop acting like he’s yours” Gellert retorted.

“He’s my family!” Aberforth shouted lividly 

“and what?” said Gellert nastily, “what actual right does that give you over him? You don’t get to make decisions about who he dates, as I said before, - you’re a silly little boy and you are getting in both his and my way”

“Do not fucking test me Gellert and don’t call me that! I’m two years younger than you, I’m not a child” Aberforth spat savagely 

“Well you certainly act like one” said Gellert meanly back, “starting fights and chucking temper tantrums each time you’re faced with conflict or things you don’t understand … grow up!”

Aberforth stepped aggressively forward fisted clenched, he was just about to raise one at his well-deserved target then –

“STOP!” his brother shrieked from the top of their front steps, “Aberforth, what are you doing?!!”

“Punching your boyfriend in his stupid, smug face” said Aberforth angrily, not proceeding forward but not turning around either. 

“Enough” Albus cried out and dashed down the steps towards them “Lower your fists right now”

“What’s going on” came the sound of Vinda’s voice, as she emerged onto the front steps, followed closely by Minerva and Ariana. 

Forgetting his fists were still raised, Aberforth ignored her and instead turned in the direction of his brother. 

“DON’T YOU DARE FUCKING TOUCH HIM” Gellert shouted furiously and rushed forward to place himself between Aberforth and his boyfriend. 

Aberforth gave him an appalled look. 

“You must be off your tree, if you think I would punch my own brother” Aberforth snapped at him. 

“Then lower your fists” Gellert snarled, “Or I’ll do it for you”

“Both of you please stop!” Albus begged frantically. 

“He’s a manipulative sociopath Albus” Aberforth snapped at him, “and you’re a delusion git who’s going to get himself hurt”

“Aberforth calm down!” Vinda shrieked from her place at the top of the steps. 

“Yes, Aberforth calm down” agreed Albus shakily, “You’re talking nonsense”

“Am I … or have you forgotten what happened to the last member of our family who placed trust in the wrong person” he said icily. 

Albus looked horrified.

“This isn’t that!” he said hysterically. 

“You think I would do anything with your brother without his approval and consent?” added Gellert with snarl.

“Like I said you’re a manipulator” Aberforth retorted, “I think that whatever you want, you’ll manage to get it regardless of what he truly wants”

“Christ Aberforth! listen to yourself” Gellert snapped, “no wonder he wants to fucking run away!”

…

Silence fell across the group and now it was Aberforth turn to look horrified, as well as repulsed. 

“What?” he asked ballistically, turning an accusing expression towards his brother who sunk back in intimidation. 

“All of you get a grip on yourselves!” Minerva shouted from the front steps, “You’re upsetting Ariana!”

And sure enough, Ariana had sunk down onto her knees between the two girls, her chest heaving with rasping, panicked breaths. 

“Ari!” cried Aberforth anxiously, rushing up the steps and kneeling down next to her. 

Breathing rapidly and tearing up, she buried her head in her folded arms and began to tremble. 

“Hey hey” said Vinda soothingly, kneeling down beside her also, “Its ok …”

Ariana unfolded one of her arms and frantically seized the girl’s hand. 

“What on earth is going on?” said Kendra hysterically, arriving onto the scene with Bathilda in tow, The host had been out the back showing the other woman her own garden when the two became anxiously distracted by distant shouting coming from out the front. 

Albus watched the scene develop in front of him, until suddenly it all just became too much! All of his tension, frustration, uncertainty and grief washed over him as he like Ariana, burst into tears on the spot. 

Gellert reacting faster than anyone, grabbed him in his arms and began guiding him in the direction of his and Bathilda’s house.

“Come with me liebling, its ok” he whispered in a soothing voice. 

“Albus!” his mother called out frantically, moving forward to race after the two boys. She was stopped however by the firm arm of the other older woman. 

“Leave them be” said Bathilda forcefully, “Concentrate on your daughter!”.

Swallowing back her own panic, Kendra nodded and with Aberforth’s and Vinda’s assistance, helped Ariana onto her feet as they led her slowly back into her house with Bathilda following closely behind. 

With one last worried glance in Albus’ direction, Minerva closed the door softly behind them. 

~

Gellert lead Albus cautiously through the front door of their home and up the stairs to his aunt’s bathroom. Not thinking about first times or shy awkwardness, only thinking about the other boy’s need for warmth and comfort, he adjusted the shower nozzles to the point that a warm stream of water was now erupting from the shower head and with gentle hands began to undress him. Albus in a morbid daze, did not object to the intruding hands, removing his favourite denim jacket, nor unbuttoning his shirt. Wanting to prove that he was not completely helpless however, he haltered the hands from assisting him with removing his jeans and began to undress the rest of his garments himself, and Gellert smiling warmly at him, proceeded to remove his own. 

There they stood for the first time ever fully exposed to one another and Gellert taking control once more, grabbed the hand of the still dazed boy and directed him into the steaming water. Albus allowed the liquid to soak his skin and his hair and gave a sigh of contentment, but contentment is was, for sadness was still there eating away at his insides. As if by instinct, Gellert stepped into the shower himself and pulled the other boy into his comforting arms. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, as Albus gripped the other boys toned back and absorbed the warmth of both the water cascading over them and the heat radiating from the body inclosing his own. 

“Never would I ever make you do anything you don’t want to do” said Gellert firmly into his ear, “Your decisions are you own and for me to support or disagree with, I would never knowingly deceive you” he added with strong and thick determination. 

“I know” Albus whimpered back into his chest where his head lay, “I know …”

Gellert then with soft hands, lifted the other boy’s face up to meet his gaze

“Do you?” he whispered softly. 

Albus with tears coming from his eye’s once more, nodded slowly and gasped as Gellert strong hands pulled him back inwards and kissed his forehead. 

“You’re mine liebling” he said gazing strongly down at him, “Nothing they do or say will stop that” he added ferociously, to which all Albus could say or do in response, was grip onto him even tighter.

~

“I’m sorry” said Ariana miserably, who having calmed down from her panic attack was now back in her room and situated on the bed between Bathilda and Vinda, as Kendra and Aberforth watched on from her door. 

“Do not ever apologize for something like that” said Bathilda gently, smoothing the creases out of her jeans, “Panic comes sometimes, and it is difficult to control … but you are not to blame for it, it’s just an occurrence”

“Why is it so difficult to control though” Ariana asked her reproachfully.

“Because you haven’t been taught any methods on how to” said Bathilda, now glaring at her mother. 

Kendra shuffled on her feet uncomfortably then turned to walk off back down the hallway in the direction of the staircase. 

“Try and sleep if off, then if you like? you come over to my house tomorrow for tea and scones, I know a lot about anxiety, so we can have a good long talk about it, that is of course if you feel up to it” said Bathilda kindly to her. 

“I think that sounds great” added Vinda with encouragement, Aberforth however cleared his throat. 

“I’m sorry” he said diplomatically, “But Ari hasn’t left the house in a long time and I really don’t want her being discomforted” 

“I really don’t think staying and hiding is this house is really helping that” Vinda snapped back at him. 

“It’s Ariana’s choice” said Bathilda firmly, raising a hand to stop their arguing. “See how you feel about it tomorrow sweetheart” she added kindly to Ariana.

Ariana looked at her contemplatively, then at Vinda. 

“Will you be there?” she asked the girl. 

“If you want me to be, then of course I will” she said smiling. 

Ariana looked between them a couple more times before breathing in deeply.

“Ok” she said softly.

“Ok” said Bathilda smiling warmly at her, “In the meantime I best be off, have a good sleep Ariana” she added giving the girl a motherly type of hug that Ariana with wide eyes, returned gratefully. 

Bathilda stood and giving Aberforth a slight frown, left the room. Vinda herself gave Ariana a quick hug then left to follow her, she however refused to make any eye contact with him whatsoever. 

Feeling uncomfortable, Aberforth made to close Ariana’s door behind them, but was interrupted by her voice. 

“Is Albus ok?” Ariana asked him anxiously. 

His body stiffened, as a guilty frown appeared on his face. 

“He’ll be fine” he said awkwardly, “Sweet dreams Ari” he added, closing her door for her. 

~

Minerva had been washing dishes for the family in the kitchen when Kendra arrived back into the room. Neither woman said anything to one another as Kendra sat down at the table and began fiddling with her phone. 

“Albus left his phone on the coffee table in the next room” said Minerva dully, watching her from the corner of her eye.

Kendra look up at her, then awkwardly cleared her throat. 

“Right of course” she said worriedly, placing the phone down and running her fingers through her hair stressfully as Minerva frowned at her. She then sat back up abruptly, as the rest of household arrived back downstairs. 

“It was lovely to meet you Minerva” said Bathilda sincerely from the door of the kitchen, “Please come see me anytime you like at the British Museum, if you want more information about any of the facts contained within my book” she added with a wink. 

Minerva gave her a curious look, then beamed widely. 

“Absolutely” she said briskly, “I’ll be sure to”

“Fantastic” said Bathilda genuinely then turned a much less warm gaze in the direction of the other older woman, “Kendra is was a pleasure, thank you very much for your hospitality” she added with a polite nod. 

“My son …” Kendra began but was haltered yet again, by another raised hand from the other woman. 

“I’ll get him back to you in one-piece tomorrow” she said firmly, “In the meantime just give him some time” she added, giving her a commandingly sort of look. 

Kendra bit her tongue anxiously but nodded all the same. 

“Until next time everyone” said Bathilda turning to leave through the front door.

Vinda at that point shared a look with Minerva, who putting down her tea towel moved responsively towards her. With a quick goodbye to Kendra, the two girls then also moved in the direction of the front door. 

“Vinda” said Aberforth weakly at her retreating back. 

The girl in question turned her head around and glared at him.

“I don’t want to talk to you” she said to him flatly, “I’ll be back for your sister tomorrow then after your shift we can have another chat, in the meantime please do me the curtesy of leaving me and my friends alone”

With her arm interlocking Minerva’s, the two then followed Bathilda’s footsteps and proceeded out into the night, as Aberforth regrettably watched her go. 

~

Albus and Gellert having made it out of the shower, now lay intertwined under the duvet of Gellert’s bed with towel dried hair and only their undergarments properly separating them. 

“Still want to go out?” Gellert whispered softly into the other boy’s hair, whilst gently stroking his arm. 

Albus looked at him meaningfully, - a nervous gaze that was suggestive of something. 

“No …” he breathed, very softly.

Gellert understood and as gently as he could, he rolled the other boy onto his back with himself on top. From there, he kissed the shaken boy on the lips, his neck, his collarbone, then his lips again and Albus feeling enthused from the gesture, kissed him eagerly back. Both kisses and touches over the course of minutes slowly became more and more desperate as Gellert began gently biting and sucking the others neck, earning appreciative moans. He ceased his movements for a couple of seconds to stare deeply into the other boy’s eye’s and sure enough, panting slightly, with strands of auburn hair sprayed across the pillow behind him, he looked sated, but also incredibly anxious. 

“I’ve never done this before” he said in a small voice. 

“I know” said Gellert gently, “It’s ok …” 

He leant back down again and kissed the other boy reassuringly, then with a small affectionate smile, he shifted himself down the bed slightly and began tracing small kisses from his navel down to his torso, where grabbing the elastic of Albus’ undergarment, pulled them down so that the other boy was now vulnerably laid out for him. Gellert moaned appreciatively and caught the other’s gaze once more, Albus stared back at him and swallowed nervously, feeling understandably self-conscious. 

“You 're so beautiful” said Gellert to him, “I want you so bad … I want all of you, so bad ...” he added in a desperate voice.

Albus whimpered in response, as Gellert with a smirk lowered his head once more. The sensation was overwhelming and Albus gasped loudly whilst tilting his head back. But it didn’t stop there, after a few minutes, Gellert ceased what he was doing and with slick fingers proceeded to do something else just as overwhelming and slightly terrifying. Sensing the other boy’s uncertainty and discomfort, Gellert came back up to his level and kissed him reassuringly. 

“It’s ok” he whispered soothingly into his ear, then began gently kissing his neck, creating a trail over what were now slightly bruised spots from his eager pursuit before. Albus assisting him, shifted his body so that his legs were bent and spread apart slightly wider and Gellert using now two fingers, probed into him, deeper than before. Suddenly without really meaning to, Albus cried out. Somewhere inside him Gellert had apparently hit a sensitive sport and his body shook from the sensation. Grinning triumphantly, Gellert removed his fingers and leant over the other boy to grab a small foil packet out of his dresser draw. Albus watched him, nervously biting the inside of his lip.

“Will it hurt?” he asked Gellert uncertainly

Gellert looked at him then smiled weakly. 

“A little at first” he confessed, “But then afterwards it won’t … trust me”

“I do” said Albus in a shaky, but otherwise determined voice.

Gellert chose that moment to kiss him deeply on the lips once more, inserting his tongue and exploring the sweet space beyond. Albus moaned into the kiss and a gasped for breath when Gellert broke it to divert his concentration elsewhere. Lifting Albus’s legs upwards even further, he shot the boy a strong glance then proceeded forward. Albus cried out at the intrusion, a cry which became ragged breathing as he attempted physically and mentally to adapt to this new and somewhat painful sensation. Gellert kissed him soothingly and with as much gentleness as he could, pushed himself in slowly further and further, until all of Albus was his. He stayed still for a moment, allowing the heavy breathing boy underneath him to fully adjust to him being inside him. 

“Are you ok?” he whispered softly to him, stroking the side of his face with caring fingers. 

Albus who had his eyes closed, opened them to gaze up him, and with slight hesitance, he nodded timidly. 

Gellert smiled and kissed him once more, moving his lower half to thrust slowly and carefully in and out of his lover; and eventually, Albus’ painful gasps, became pleasurable moans. With Gellert successfully finding his previous target, he suddenly cried out and once more, kisses and touches became more forceful and desperate, as Gellert lifted the other up even more to drive into him more deeply. Albus reaching a point where the sensations were beginning to cloud to him, vaguely registered Gellert gentle voice whispering into his ear.

“Everything will be fine Albus, trust me” he said, kissing the side of his face 

And with one last cry of ecstasy, the auburn-haired boy let himself go …

~

“I don’t want to go home” said Albus tonelessly an hour later, as he laid naked in Gellert’s arms. 

Gellert ceased stroking the boy’s hair and used the same fingers to turn the boy’s face gently in his direction.

“Then don’t” he said firmly, kissing him on the nose, a gesture that made the other boy giggle slightly. 

“We can go away” Gellert continued in the same firm voice, “Not runaway … just disappear for a few days, just you and me, no mothers, no brothers … just the two of us … and maybe some seagulls” he added as an afterthought. 

“Seagulls?” said Albus bemused. 

“We could go to Margate or Eastbourne” said Gellert pointedly, “Away from the city and near the ocean, where there is enough sea air and open space to help you relax your mind and think about what you want moving forward, maybe not being anywhere near your family for a few days might help you to feel better” he added in the same firm tone. 

Albus rolled onto his back and stared at Gellert’s ceiling thoughtfully. 

“I know you want to” Gellert pressed him, “and I want you to do something for yourself for once, please say yes …”. 

Albus turned his head back to him. Feeling very relaxed and dazed from their coming together, he wasn’t in any particular sort of headspace to argue against the determined words Gellert was saying. 

“But my phone, and clothes and stuff” he protested weakly.

“You don’t need them” said Gellert stroking his hair once more, “I’ll have my phone and you can borrow my clothes; I’d love to see you in my clothes” he added with a smirk. 

“Your clothes won’t fit me” Albus reasoned with him, “You’re taller than me”

“Then we’ll sneak back into your room and grab you some pants” said Gellert with an amused smile. 

Albus smiled weakly at him, then with a small measured breath, he spoke -

“Ok … you’re right, let’s do it” –

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. I'm now off to make myself a strong cup of tea. 
> 
> Angst and sex in the same chapter, yikes ...
> 
> (.) also, I forgot to add in the notes section of the previous chapter, that Gellert saying 'My body is a journal' is a direct quote from Johnny Depp to Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show, whilst discussing his tattoo's, So that one is a nod to him <3


	16. The Runaways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Possessive Gellert in this chapter.
> 
> In case anyone is currently unsure, this story will end happily and conflicts will get resolved, so don't worry.

16\. The Runaways. 

Aberforth was up early the next morning, not just because his day shift started at 9, but also because the events of the previous night had not done much in the way of providing him with restful sleep. So, sighing in defeat, he arose from his bed sometime between 5 and 6 in the morning and proceeded upstairs towards his brother’s attic bedroom. As predicted, upon knocking and further opening the door slightly to be able to see into it, his brother had not returned home from the previous night. His bedding lay untouched and laptop wide open from where it had been abandoned the previous day during the oven exploding event. Frowning to himself, Aberforth shuffled into the room and sat down on his brothers’ cold bed.

The room felt so empty, and in way that could not be attributed merely to his brother’s absence. In fact, some days the whole house felt empty, as though it was missing one thing, or perhaps many things? In their previous home in a long-gone day, his older brothers’ bedroom had felt like a sanctuary. Memories of those moments still existed strongly within Aberforth’s mind. In which, a very small version of himself would open the door to his brothers’ room and there from his bed, his brother’s youthful face would smile warmly at him and beckon him over. Though Aberforth never understood his brother’s fascination with words on paper, he’d listen and pay attention as his brother read to him (promising that a bike trip to the sweet shop would follow soon after). Perhaps it was the part of him that wanted to impress his brother? or otherwise, it was simply the part of him that enjoyed receiving his brother’s attention. Often during these moments, the curious face of their even smaller sister would perk her face around the doorframe, then with their encouragement, she would also pop herself up onto the bed and join them. This was, however, all before his brother’s intelligence became more vividly known to their parents and the outer community. From there, his brother overtime began to slowly disappear and as he did, Aberforth’s resentment and bitterness grew. Like now, only now it was different kind altogether. Perhaps his mother was right? perhaps in Aberforth’s mind no one would ever be suitable for his brother. But if he were to personally set some form of standard, for who would and who wouldn't be suitable, the arrogant Austrian boy down the street wouldn't have make the cut. Albus needed someone who could bring out the best in him, not someone who could cleverly deceive him and eagerly take advantage of his vulnerabilities. 

But none of it could be helped right at this moment. Aberforth knew he had over stepped a line last night and the coming back process was going to be slow and painful, best taken in small measured ‘baby steps. Starting with right now in fact … in knowing that Albus would have stayed the night, he knew he’d probably be needing some things. So, rising from the bed, he walked over to Albus’ wardrobe, where hanging from one of the handles was his purple schoolbag. Scowling at the fact that Albus had still not fixed his zip, Aberforth proceeded to place within it, a change of clothes and his phone charger from the small side table next to his bed. From there he went back downstairs to their bathroom, grabbed a few of his brother’s toiletries, then proceeded onwards to ground floor sitting room, where Albus had left his phone the previous night. Clicking the button on it, he scowled yet again seeing that the battery was now down to 20%. Despite feeling mortified by his own actions the previous night, annoyance at his brothers continuous irresponsibly, still fluttered through him at that moment. 

Aberforth clicked the button on the phone once more to check the time, - it was now 6:30. He wasn’t needed at work for another 2 hours, though feeling like he really had nothing more valuable to do with his time right now, he thought he might as well drop Albus’ bag off to him and then have a ride around. Pedalling his bike aimlessly around the cool early morning streets of the SW district could perhaps provide him with the opportunity he needed to think about certain things. Like - How to resolve this situation? How to diplomatically reach out to his brother? How to apologise to his girlfriend? How indeed … Guilt festered in him once more and swinging the bag around his shoulder, he made back up to his room to grab his own essential belongings (including a properly charged phone), then came back downstairs. From the hallway, his tracks towards the front door were stopped however, by a tired and weak sounding voice. 

“Where are you going so early?” his mother questioned him from her place at the kitchen table. Aberforth frowned with concern at her through the doorframe. For a woman who normally looked her best, no matter what hour of the day, she looked rugged and very much like someone her own age for once, perhaps older? Dark rings circled her eyes, her hair was slightly tousled, and wrinkles were visible in the corners of her mouth. She had no make-up on, - also a novelty; and hadn’t bother to change. She instead was still in a dressing grown, nursing a cup of black tea in hands, which now had slightly chipped fingernails. 

Aberforth motioned at the purple bag on his shoulder. 

“Dropping stuff off to Albus, then going to ride around for a bit before work” he said quietly, “I need to clear my head”.

“You certainty do” she said to him coolly, taking a sip of her tea and frowning deeply at him. “So Albus didn’t come home then?” she then added looking up at him with tired eye’s 

“No” said Aberforth uncomfortably, shifting slightly on his feet. 

She frowned even deeper, then let out a stressed-out sigh. 

“I’m not sure about this Gellert” she murmured, staring away. 

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you” snapped Aberforth, rolling his eyes.

“Be as it may, you had no right to approach him the way you did last night” his mother snarled at him, “There are more sensible ways of dealing with issues Aberforth! - you gave your sister a panic attack and left your brother distraught” 

“GODDAMNIT ... I’M SORRY, ALRIGHT” he shouted at her, losing his temper once more and making her jump. 

Taking a deep frustrated breath, he levelled himself emotionally and gazed down at her, his body shaking slightly.

“I’m sorry” he repeated harshly, “But have you ever considered, that if perhaps things were better managed on your end, I wouldn't be getting angry and losing my temper all the time?”

“Aberforth!” she began, her voice and facial features stricken

“I’ll be back home to sort out dinner at 5” he further snapped, then power walked out of the house, slamming the front door shut in his wake. 

~

Gellert had been in the kitchen making his boyfriend a tea and himself a coffee when a rough knock came at the front door. Startled, he made his way curiously over to it and sure enough as expected, a member of his boyfriends’ family had arrived at his fortress of safety. One he had mentally sealed around his delicate lover since guiding him away the previous night. 

The two boys stared each other down for a few good seconds, nostrils flaring and eye’s darkening. 

“I’m not here to start anything” said Aberforth coldly, “I’m just dropping off Albus’ stuff for him” he added with a nod towards the bag on his shoulder. 

“How very gracious of you” said Gellert loftily, moving to take the bag from him.

The boys looked at each other grimly some more, then Aberforth spoke

“Tell him to charge his phone” he said tonelessly, “Both it and his charger are in there, and get home to mother before she starts making his absence my problem” he added snidely turning back around in the direction of the street. 

“What if he doesn’t want to go home?” Gellert called out to his retreating back. 

Aberforth froze in his steps and turned to face Gellert once more. His expression that had previously reflected fury, was now just tired and defeated like his mothers. 

“If he’s serious about what you mentioned last night” he said in a slow voice, “Then tell him from me, not to come back … tell him ... that I don’t care anymore” he added bitterly, before hopping onto his bike and pedalling dismally off into the opposing, bright and cheerful sunlight. 

~

Gellert closed the door quietly behind him and after a few short moments, his frown turned into a wide smile. 

“Well that makes him rid of you then” he thought gleefully to himself, as he made his back into the kitchen. Whilst there, he carefully pulled down the battered zip of the bag to inspect the items within. With a somewhat blackened expression, he grabbed the low battery iPhone and pocketed it. There really was not sense in Albus having it! If he were to have access to it, predictably he’d be answering calls from his panicked family non-stop every 2 minutes, which would defeat the purpose of his time away. The point being, to help him obtain a sense of freedom and be his own person, without need for their approval and guidelines. It was as his aunt said, - 

“Live the life you love Gellert, don’t ever allow yourself to conform to what’s expected of you, you be you and you do what’s right by you, always”.

As he had done for himself in the past, it was now his own personal mission to make that happen for Albus. Placing his arm within the bags straps and grabbing the two hot beverages, he then walked back upstairs to his room, where under a navy quilt, his boyfriend slumbered in peaceful, half sleep. Gellert smiled admiringly at him, whilst placing both mugs down on his bedside table. He then= dropped the bag down and proceeded to lay himself across his lover’s form. Albus moaned at little at the sudden pressure and his eyes fluttered open. 

“Good Morning mein schatz” said Gellert tenderly, kissing him softly on the lips. 

Albus blinked a few times, then smiled warmly back up at him. 

“The elves brought you something this morning” said Gellert cheerfully, moving himself off the other to allow him to sit up. He then grabbed from the floor, the bag that he had previously disregarded seconds ago and placed in within the other boy’s lap, “We won’t have to sneak back into your house now …” he added with a gleeful expression. 

Albus’ eyes widened a tad, and he carefully opened it to reveal some toiletries alongside a change of clothes. 

“Who?” Albus began

“Your brother” Gellert answered swiftly for him, “Most probably at your mother’s insistence”.

“Christ my mother” Albus groaned, stressfully running his fingers through his hair.

Gellert lifted the other’s chin up so that they were now at level eye contact. 

“Don’t worry about her” said Gellert firmly, now stroking his cheek, “These next few days are about you remember? no one else – just you” he added in a commanding sort of voice. 

Albus looking slightly intimidated, but nodded his head a fraction. 

“Good” said Gellert smiling with satisfaction, “I’ve already checked train times, if we leave soon, we can make the 8:00am leaving from St Pancras, the northern line tube will take us straight there. I’ll write a note to my aunt and you can write one for your mother, that she can pass onto her, after that we’re good to go” he added, grinning broadly at the less confident boy. 

Albus swallowed back his nerves and nodded again, as Gellert handed him his cup of tea. 

“This is not something I’ve done before” said Albus thickly, taking a grateful sip of the hot beverage.

Gellert smirked at him. 

“You had never done what we did last night before either and yet you were amazing” he said almost purred, “You can do this as well” 

Flushing red, Albus looked down at his tea embarrassed. Gellert however grabbed his chin once more and pulled him in for another kiss. Upon breaking away, Albus' smiled happily at him. 

“For the greater good?” Albus asked him, feeling slightly more encouraged. 

“For the greater good” Gellert repeated, smirking triumphantly. 

~

Whilst transitioning from Kings Cross Underground to St Pancras, an hour later, Gellert who had his arm around the smaller boy (an instinct in vast crowds) was the only one to notice his phone charger fall out of his broken zip pocket, and even though there was an abundant of reasons why he should have, he did not bend down to pick it back up. Instead he continued to guide the other boy towards the massive heritage listed building without looking back, as the phone within his pocket finally ran out of battery. 

~

Around 10am, Vinda flicked her hair and knocked steadily on the door to the Dumbledore household. Allowing 2 minutes to pass, she attempted again with no further success and groaned a little in annoyance. Though suddenly remembering that the bedroom where she had shared fish and chips with Ariana the previous night, had a window facing the street, she took a few paces backwards and called up.

“Mon Cheri, Mon Cheri, it is me! please let down your dark blonde hair, so we may continue on with our plans for today” –

Smiling widely, she watched for movement at the window and with still nothing, proceeded to sing out to the girl instead. 

“I feeeeel you … Ariana! I feeeel youuuu … do they think that walls can hide you? even now I’m at your wiiiiindow … I am in the dark beside youuuuu” 

Her singing was cut off by the sound of window opening and a young teenage girl looking highly bemused, stuck her head out. 

“Hello” the girl called down, somewhat nervously.

“Hello Ariana” she sang cheerfully back up, “Have I mentioned to you how terrible I am at baking? Bathilda will never forgive me if I show up to help her bake without you” she added pointedly. 

“Erm … right of course, hang on” Ariana stammered thickly, “I wonder why mother isn’t answering the door for you?” she added as an afterthought, before disappearing once more. 

Vinda shifted happily up and down on the spot, as some minutes later the door opened, and Ariana now dressed in washed skinny jeans and pink tank top opened it. Vinda took the girls composure into consideration and smiled genuinely at her. 

“How are you feeling?” Vinda now asked her seriously. 

Ariana bit her lip a little and stared down at the ground. 

“I’m fine” she said hesitantly. 

“Is your mother ok?” Vinda pressed gently, being the woman had just failed twice to answer the door for her. 

Ariana looked over her shoulder, then back towards the older girl with a glum expression. 

“She didn’t sleep last night” the younger girl admitted, “I know she was up worrying about Albus and now she’s asleep in her chair in the sitting room”

“Well we best leave her be then” said Vinda sympathetically, offering a hand to the other girl and smiling encouragingly at her. 

Ariana looked at it, then back at her, nerves and anxiety embedded on her face, which did not go unnoticed by Vinda. 

The older girl grabbed her hand and gently guided her a few paces forward.

“It’s just a couple a homes down the street remember?” she said to her reassuringly, “and if it starts to become too overwhelming for you, you can just squeeze my hand like before” she added casting her another smile. 

“I know” said Ariana breathlessly, allowing herself to be guided out into the warm sunlight. 

Reflective of the previous time she did this, the world suddenly seemed much bigger and like before, a pair of mating butterflies fluttered around her head, - it was almost as if they were encouraging her … Feeling somewhat enlightened, she smiled weakly down at the girl already on the third step. This was her first time trusting a member outside of her immediate family and rather than feel panic which in the past, would have been her brain’s go-to response, she instead felt both protected and at ease. There was just something about this girl who seemed so comfortable in her own skin and easy going with those around her, she couldn’t help being reassured by her. Perhaps it was the fact that this girl did not treat her delicately like everyone else did? Or perhaps rather than encourage her coping methods, this girl challenged them in a way that was not cruel and uncaring, but firm and uplifting. The strength and determination she did not feel she had, Vinda was slowly and persistently unearthing. 

Vinda caught the other girls somewhat intrigued expression and smirked at her. 

“Come Ariana” she sang, “For the day is young and you are beautiful”

“Isn’t it, the night is young, and you are beautiful?” Ariana corrected her, giggling slightly and beginning to walk down the steps after her. 

“It’s whatever I want it to be” said the other girl stubbornly. 

And that was the other thing, the girl had so much self-assurance and confidence, it was contagious! and something Ariana herself really needed. Ariana had never known a person to look at life so positively and openly. She was someone who could see the fun and joy in things, it was no wonder that even her unleaded and uncompromising brother had yielded to her.

The thought of her brother made her uneasy again, she had not seen either him or Albus since the fight last night. Suddenly and automatically, she felt herself becoming anxious due to wondering whether or not they were ok.

Without realising it, they had reached their destination and Vinda with the energy of two Red Bulls, bounded up the stairs and knocked on the door twice. Quicker than she previously had for the other girl, the smiling face of Bathilda promptly opened it for them. 

“I’m a bit behind this morning ladies” she said in an apologetic tone, whilst beckoning them in, “The brandy must have hit me hard last night, as I woke up only 30 minutes ago” she added with a scrowl 

Then turning her attention towards Ariana, she gave her a kind, encouraging smile. 

“Well done for making it out the house Ariana” she said happily, “You should be very proud of yourself” she added with a wink.

“Vinda didn’t really give me much option” she murmured shyly in response.

“Yep, that sounds like her” said Bathilda nodding at the other girl, who gave her an unfazed and innocence look in response. 

“So how are you feeling this morning sweetheart?” Bathilda asked, whilst gently guiding her into her quirkily decorated kitchen. 

“I’m ok” said Ariana honestly, “Just a little worried about my brothers is all” she added looking down at her feet with a worried frown. 

“Your brothers will be fine” said Vinda gently, helping her into a chair, “I’ve already told Abe that I’ll have words with him, so don’t worry …” 

“It’s not that” said Ariana sadly, withdrawing into herself once more, “It’s not him getting angry, I mean … Abeforth gets angry, it’s how he is, but I just get worried about him doing something … that … like my father” she continued in a now shaky voice. 

Bathilda sensing danger, sat next to her and grabbed her hands, squeezing them in reassurance. She gazed at her the same way a mother would condole their own upset child, meanwhile Vinda also took a seat at the table on her other side. 

“I know what happened to your father” said Vinda cautiously to the other girl, making Ariana’s eyes widen, “But it will not happen to Aberforth … his way of dealing with things and his attitude is something I’ve been working on with him and I promise, it has been slowly improving … last night was a little different though, my friend Gellert can get under people’s skin very easily” she added, in a way of attempting to try and explain things. 

“That he can” agreed Bathilda sighing, “and any conversation involving your other brother between those two, is likely to fester a blaze, no one’s fault, just a lot of misunderstanding that needs to be sorting, that’s all” she added to the girl kindly. 

“Is Albus here?” Ariana asked the woman in concern. 

“Yes” said Bathilda in a matter of fact tone, “But I’m not opening that door until they do, I’ve made too many mistakes doing that in the past” she added with deadpan expression that make Vinda snigger. 

Ariana however remained quiet for a few moments, staring down glumly at the table, Bathilda and Vinda both watched her in concern and Vinda instinctively offered her, her hand, which Ariana took, but did not squeeze.

“If you know about father, then that means you know about me as well” she said softly to Vinda, who feeling suddenly apprehensive, gave the other girl a cautious nod. 

“Yes” Bathilda confirmed to her softly, taking charge of the moment, “Albus’ felt he could trust Gellert with his family history, history that Vinda overheard then told me, I hope you can forgive us for that” she added sharing a frown with the girl in question. 

Ariana stayed quiet for a while, before looking up at both women with pleading eyes. 

“Aberforth says it’s not my fault?” she asked timidly, “But it is, isn’t it?”.

Bathilda then gave Vinda sharp, pointed look, who understanding the hidden meaning, rose from her seat and quickly busied herself with the kettle. 

“No” said Bathilda firmly, drawing her attention back to the other seated girl, “No sweetheart, never ever take on blame for the poor actions of other people, it’s not your fault, never was and never will be”

“I get so scared that I’m going to see him again” Ariana continued on, small tears forming in the corner of her eyes, “and then I can’t leave the house, and my family have to put up with me and …”

“No one is putting up with you” said Bathilda even firmer, “Your family is overwhelmed by their current situation, but no one is blaming you for it, it’s a very unfortunate thing that happened, but with the right support and guidance, we can all pull through it” she added patting the girls hand who quivered slightly at the touch. 

“As for the boy, maybe in the worst case scenario you might” Bathilda continued on, “But if you do, that’s when you’ll need to know how to deal emotionally with that situation and that’s something I wanted to talk to you about today … therapeutic techniques that can help to cope with symptoms of anxiety and post-traumatic stress, now I realise you’re only 15, so it’s up to your mother whether or not you go, but I just felt that if I told you personally about how some people I know who may be able to help you, then you could perhaps pass that information onto her as encouragement, what do you personally think?” she added kindly to the girl, who nodded slightly in response to her. 

“My nephew Gellert, needed the same people 2 years ago” Bathilda now confessed to both her and Vinda, who perked her head around from the kettle with astonished interest, “Being disowned by your own family is a very upsetting thing to happen to a 16 year old and on top of that he was let down severely by someone who he thought loved him, all that put him in an understandable state of depression for some time, - which is yet another reason why I had to have him home-schooled. But alas, when you see him now, he’s as the same cheeky, hyperactive, smartarse kid I first met so many years ago now, therapy can help! though he’s still an idiot” she added rolling her eyes and smiling encouragingly at Ariana, who looked back at her amazed. 

“I didn’t know that” said Vinda softly to herself, ignoring the kettle that was shrieking behind her. 

“That’s because Gellert doesn’t like to show other people his weaknesses” said Bathilda factually, standing up and moving to grab the kettle of the stove herself, “A massive failing of the human race, Gellert suffers it, your boyfriend suffers it” she directed at Vinda, “and your mother suffers it” she added with another nod in Ariana’s direction. “And it’s funny how that is … when you consider the fact that human beings did not evolve by taking things on individually, yes there was competition and wars, but there was also a vast amount of helping one another, no one is perfect and for that alone reason, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to let others know that you’re struggling and need help”.

“I do” said Ariana quickly, making the women turn their heads in her direction, “I’m not making any progress on my own, but I want to get better, I really do” she added thickly and blushed slightly as Bathilda smiling warmly at her, came back over to sit down next to her. 

“What are your dreams Ariana?” she asked her kindly, 

Ariana looked taken back for a few moments, then cleared her throat.

“Well I want to get well, so I can both support and be there for family” she said weakly to her in response.

“No … not your responsibilities and obligations sweetie, what are your actual dreams?” Bathilda pressed her gently.

“Ummm” Ariana stammered timidly, then thinking about it for a few moments, she replied 

“Well I want to become a stylist; I’ve like clothes a lot! I want to make it to New York City one day, - it would be amazing to work abroad, even just for a couple of years. I want to meet my own version of Gellert or Vinda … someone who is kind-hearted, joyous and who supports and loves me, I want to see my family happy and content with their lives, I want to make it out the front door without being scared” she continued on in what was now a much stronger and more determined voice. – “I want to run up and down Oxford Street whilst shopping with my brothers, I want to see the inside of Aberforth’s pub, I want to listen and watch Gellert and Vinda play their instruments, I want to throw Albus a 19th party since he never had a proper 18th and I want to make him a sugary cake I know he’ll love, I want to prove to my mother that we can be happy without money, and I …..” she faltered suddenly and sat still, stunned by her own verbal wave of admission. 

Bathilda once more placed her hand over hers and Vinda still standing, beamed at her from next to the cooling kettle. 

“I want you to write all of that down in a journal and go back to it, each and each every time you feel that darkness beginning to take over” said Bathilda to her encouragingly, “which it will, time and time again. But eventually and with support, it’ll loss its grip on you and you’ll be the one controlling it instead”

“How do you know so much about this?” Ariana asked her baffled. 

“Because I’m older than you” she said to her with another wink, “but yes ... also because of Gellert, and mostly because my ex 'on-and-off' girlfriend is a psychologist, she’s who I’d actually love for you to go and see with your mother’s approval”

Ariana swallowed nervously and nodded in agreement. 

“In the mean time” Bathilda sang out happily, rising to her feet once more, “Nothing clears the mind and soul more than baking, so I’ll teach you how to make scones for Albus instead, then you can bake him his cake later”

“I argue strongly against that analogy” said Vinda cynically, moving to remove a mixing bowl and utensils from the cupboard underneath her.

“Well not everyone has your methods” said Bathilda sassily to her, “In fact, to save us all from melting cream, you can go sit down …” she added with a smirk. 

“Great” said Vinda enthusiastically, moving over to the adjoining sitting room and with a melodramatic sigh of contentment, sunk into the couch, placing both feet up. From there, she brought up a picture of Aberforth she had stored on her phone (one she’d taken without his awareness obviously). She further gazed at it for a few measurable seconds, then placing the phone back away, stared dolefully up at the ceiling. 

~

Kendra arrived at Bathilda’s home, anxious and bad tempered around 2pm in the afternoon. Without knocking first, she opened the door and rushed in. From there, she found the two women and her own teenager girl, sitting around the table, laughing at a story Vinda was sharing.

Bathilda looked up startled, then smiled graciously at her. Kendra however, ignoring the courteous manner, glared back.

“I had to ring Aberforth to find out where you were” Kendra said coldly to her daughter, “Perhaps next time you choose to spontaneously leave the house, you might think to let me know first, I was worried sick!”

“Sorry mother” said Ariana recoiling timidly in her seat, “It’s just you were asleep and …”

“Then use your phone and send a text” her mother snapped at her, “Something both you and your brother are currently failing miserably at”

“Ariana came down here on her own with Vinda this morning” said Bathilda firmly to the other woman, “The first time she has managed to leave the house in a very long time, aren’t you proud of her” she now asked now with raised eyebrows. 

“Of course, I am” said Kendra lividly, “But as you’ve just said yourself, she hasn’t left the house in a very long time, so waking up and finding her gone … this is a mother’s natural response” she added defensively.

“I think you need to place more trust and reassurance in your children” said Bathilda coldly

“Once you’ve been through what I’ve been through, and lived through what I have, I’ll trust your judgement on the matter then” said Kendr,a glaring at her, “Where is your brother?” she now directed back at her daughter, who was now trembling slightly in her seat, “His phone, like yours keeps going to voicemail”.

“I left my phone at home mother” Ariana whimpered, “I’m sorry”

“It doesn’t matter” said Kendra waving her comment off, “I’ve found you now, but I still don’t know where 'he' is” she added agitated. 

“Vinda” said Bathilda with a firm look at the other girl, “Can you go knock on Gellert’s door for us please?” 

“Certainly” said Vinda politely, who then with a quick smirk at Bathilda, raced off upstairs.

Bathilda turned her attention back to Kendra. 

“Would you like a strong cup of tea?” she asked her calmly. 

“No thank you” said Kendra stiffly, whilst fussing with Ariana’s hair, “I apologise for my abruptness, it’s just that …”

“I understand” Bathilda interrupted sternly, taking a strong sip of her own tea, “It’s fine … considering Ariana is underage I should have taken responsibility as well, Albus however …”

“Ummm” Vinda’s nervous voice interrupted, as the girl herself came back down the stairs, much more slowly than before. There on the second step, she gave them a grim look and held up the two paper notes the boys had left on the bedside table earlier in the day. 

~

With Ariana in tow, Kendra dashed back in the direction of her house. 

“Mother calm down” Ariana begged of her, but Kendra wasn’t listening. Heart racing and on the verge of her own panic attack, she fumbled with the keys to the lock on their front door and sprawled ungracefully into her hallway. She then raced into the kitchen and grabbed her own phone off one of the benches. 

There she attempted unsuccessfully three more times to contact her eldest son. Moaning in frustration she then rang Aberforth’s pub demanding to speak to him for a second time that day. 

“Mother I’ve told you” Aberforth snapped down the line at her after the phone was passed on, “I know where Ariana is, but where Albus is and why he isn’t answering his phone is currently not my problem” 

“Did he mention anything to you about disappearing for a few days?” she seethed uncontrollably, “Have you seen him since I last spoke to you?”

“No, I haven’t” said Aberforth shortly to her, “and once again, I am working and cannot talk about this right now, goodbye …” 

And with that, her middle child abruptly hung up the phone. 

“CHRIST” Kendra screamed, slamming her own phone back down on the table. 

“Mother please” cried Ariana hysterically, 

Kendra didn’t answer to her and instead pushed the piece of paper containing Albus’ note in her direction. 

With shaky fingers, Ariana picked the paper up and read –

[Mother. 

I’m going away with Gellert, it’ll be useless trying to contact me so please don’t. I’ve been needing to do this for a long time now and once you have calmed down, I hope you’ll find reason within yourself to understand why. I’ve been desperately unhappy for a long time now and as an adult, I believe it’s my right to not have to seek your approval or consent regarding my life choices. 

All my love for now.

Albus]

Ariana finished reading the note and started timidly back up at her mother, who with her own shaky fingers, was now attempting to light up a cigarette with little success. 

“You understand?” she asked her daughter, whilst finally managing to get the offending thing lit. 

“Yes” said Ariana softly, placing the paper back down on the table and looking at her mother sympathetically. 

“It’s not his handwriting”.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Worried parents overreact 
> 
> also, 'The Sweeney Todd' reference? - I literally couldn't help myself ... :P:P


	17. When sorry comes too late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One more tense chapter to go after this, then things will start easing up, I promise. Wanted to make this chapter and the next one, one whole chapter, but similar situation to time and time again previously - it would have been too long. So my story is now 20 chapters rather than 19, unless something else happens. 
> 
> This is a Kendra centric chapter.

16\. When sorry comes too late. 

As the last light of that day left within the west behind them, they walked over the coarse sand, grains mixed with shell fragments, breathing in the sea air and feeling both carefree and content. Albus, perhaps seeing a form of life within the shallow water, drifted curiously closer and then realising his foolish mistake, rushed backwards quickly to avoid a breaking wave. His attempt however was stopped by Gellert who held him into position and there within his arms, he went limp, laughing into the other boy’s shoulder as the water rushed past, soaking the hems of both their jeans. Suddenly this became a game, Albus trying to avoid waves rushing in as the tide drew nearer and closer to shore, due to its changing patterns and Gellert’s stronger form playfully stopping him. When a particularly powerful break came through, Gellert himself lost balance and the two collapsed ridiculously into the knee-deep water, where they sat completely drenched, but not for the life of them caring one bit about it. 

“How do you feel?” Gellert asked the other boy eagerly, who was shaking saltwater from his hair as the wave withdrew away. 

Albus looked at him and grinned widely. 

“Alive” was his simple response. 

Suddenly he screamed slightly and made to quickly stand up before being hit by yet another torrent of water, but Gellert reacting quicker, pulled him back down by the arm and with a final laugh, the two went under as absent-minded seagulls watched blissfully on from the safety of the air. 

~

“I don’t think this is what you think it is” said Ariana with the strongest attempt of confidence she could muster within the current, peculiar situation.

“What is it you think I’m missing then Ariana” her mother snapped, flicking ash across the table, “My son disappears to that woman’s house with that boy overnight, doesn’t come home and now his phone is out of reach and there’s this note written not by him, not explaining where he’s gone, or for now long and if he’s even planning on coming back …” 

As if on cue, a knock came from the front door. 

Kendra sighed exasperatedly as Ariana, leaving her with her thoughts made to answer it. 

As predicted, Bathilda stood at the front door in a light coat, her own letter clutched in her hand. 

“May I come in Ariana?” she asked the girl calmly. 

“Um” Ariana began nervously, “I think mother …”

“Yes, let her in Ariana” came her mother’s edgy voice from the kitchen. 

Bathilda smiled warmly at the girl, then with a much sterner look, proceeded past her and into their kitchen. 

There she stood in the doorframe looking almost pitifully down at the other woman, who having previously had her head in her hands, lifted her tired and stressed out eyes up to greet her. 

“Should we take this to the living room” Bathilda prompted with a nod, knowing full well a long and difficult conversation was about to play out. 

Giving the other woman a glowering look, Kendra sighed deeply and sat up straight. Grabbing her cigarette packet, she then stood up and walked cautiously past Bathilda on her way to the sitting room. With one last reassuring smile at Ariana, Bathilda followed her. 

~

Kendra took her place at her single armchair next to her ashtray and motioned for Bathilda to sit opposite her on the same three-seater sofa, she had formerly interrogated Albus and Aberforth on. Bathilda did so graciously and removed from her coat pocket, a piece of folded up paper. 

“You might want to have a read of mine perhaps” Bathilda requested with a polite nod, “I have a strong feeling it may be very different to the one you received”.

Kendra looked at the paper with narrowed eyes, then as requested, swapped it with her own. The two women then proceeded to read the notes of their young adult’s respective partners. 

[Aunty

Sorry to drop out in a rush without saying goodbye, I’m taking Albus down to the seaside for a few days to clear his head (due to how stressed and upset he has been lately …) I’ll be using the money I got from my last gig, so don’t worry at all about that! - If you need me, you know how to reach me. Also, can you please kindly pass on Albus’ note to his mother for me? 

If there is any decent seafood, I will endeavour to bring some home to you, but considering I don’t want to stink up the train carriage – I also may not …

Love you very much. 

Gellert xx]

Bathilda finished reading the note apparently written by Albus and shot the other woman a look of sympathetic understanding. Kendra with still shaky fingers, finished reading Gellert’s note, then placed it next to her ashtray before staring bitterly out the window.

“He’s very open with you?” she said resentfully, stubbing more ash out into her tray. 

“Of course,” said Bathilda with an eyebrow raised slightly. 

Kendra then turned her attention back to the other woman and stared accusingly back at her. 

“Why would he write Albus’ note for him, without any indication of where and for how long they were going?” she then asked vindictively.

“Though I don’t endorse his methods, I think it’s his way of trying to make a point to you” said Bathilda in a polite matter of fact tone. 

“and what point is that?” Kendra snapped, “What lesson have I to learn from a 19-year-old boy?”

“That you don’t trust your son, nor respect him as an adult” Bathilda confirmed with a strong look at the other woman. 

Kendra curled her lip violently and then stood up to pace around in front of Bathilda, who continued to look calm and reassured. Following the other woman with her eyes, Bathilda cleared her throat a little and continued on.

“With all due respect Kendra, I honestly feel out of all your children, Albus is the one you ought to be the least concerned about. I’m not an expert in child rearing, but I understand and know young people very well, I’ve been taught firsthand by an expert all different matters on the subject and being at your home yesterday … I witnessed both a very angry young man and a very frightened young girl. Both of whom are still here in this house and both who I believe, are strongly needing their mother’s attention right now” said Bathilda as gently as she possibly could, - “I mean surely you are aware of this? How could you not be …?” she then added with narrowed eyebrows. 

Kendra didn’t say anything, rather she placed her hands on her hips and stared sadly out the window. 

“Up until it happened” said Kendra softly, “Ariana was by far my most confident child! so popular at school, so happy, so wonderous of everything, so full of life and laughter, so strong willed and determined. She never had a care in world, and I in turn, never had much to worry about when it came her – or so I thought” she added miserably. 

Bathilda gazed up at her sympathetically, willing her to continue by showing that she was listening. 

Aberforth has always had a temper on him, but not one that couldn’t be managed, and he’s always been very accepting of who he is, always had a strong and firm way about him. I always knew he’d be the child to get by the easiest out there in the world, he’s the kind that does what he needs to do in order get to where he’s going … wherever that is! but Albus …” she began, then faltered, placing a hand over her eye’s so to stop her festering tears from trickling out. 

She then let out a deep exhale then turned to Bathilda, all her weakness and worry exposed in such clear and harsh daylight. 

“Albus is my sensitive child … deeply thoughtful, oblivious at times, always off in his own world, always shy and timid around others, he can be and has been in the past … very gullible; and when he gets hurt, he gets hurt very badly! For that I’ve always been very protective of him … and he’s also very beautiful” she rambled on thickly, not caring whether or not any of her words were making sense, – “which can attract trouble; and with what happened to Ariana? if that were to happen to him, well …. ” she added with a noisy sniff, gazing distantly and miserably out the window. 

“- but he is also my brilliant child!” she then continued with a detersive laugh, “My husband Percival always used to say he was a genius, I thought that by getting that intelligence exposed, I’d been helping him to gain some confidence and be more comfortable within himself and around other people, I guess overtime I just lost my way with it … then after what happened to Ariana, then what happened to all of us, I …” she took a deep breath and stood there looking stricken. 

“You weren’t sure what do anymore” Bathilda prompted gently, “Your two children who never needed looking after, suddenly did and you didn’t know how to do that anymore”.

“I honestly don’t know how to do anything anymore” said Kendra miserably, “- and Aberforth hates me for it! meanwhile Ariana stays ill and Albus … I don’t know … I thought at least he was ok, now this note …” she added gesturing the piece of paper still in Bathilda’s hand.

“Has there been anything recently to suggest why he might have not been happy?” Bathilda pressed her, aiming to get all details out into the open. 

“I don’t know” said Kendra pathetically, “With my children, I can honestly say I just don’t know anymore … and I sometimes drive myself crazy with pity and anger, wondering if I ever did?”

“Kendra” said Bathilda firmly to her, “Your daughter needs professional help, I spoke to Ariana herself about this earlier today, I know of people who can help her and for personal reasons, I know that they are very good at what they do”

Kendra quivered a little and shot her a reproachful look.

Bathilda sighed frustratingly, then stood up and walking over to the other woman, grabbed her hands supportively. 

“Now is no longer to the time to worry about what other’s think about you” she said to her firmly, “Put away superficial and pretentious judgement and focus solely on your children and their needs, exerting extra control over Albus, the child you're used to looking after, is not going to help your other child, that now needs looking after” she added, with a slight nod. 

“Is that what I’m doing?” Kendra asked her weakly, “Being controlling of him?” 

“Well what do you honestly think?” asked Bathilda sternly, “There is protecting your children, there is supporting them and guiding them; and there is being there to hold them when they – pardon my language, fuck up! But as soon as you start controlling them, the sooner they’re running off to somewhere leaving all their wows, including yourself … behind them”

Kendra snorted miserably and looked up at the other woman with pleading eyes once more. 

“Albus wanted to teach English in South East Asia this year” she said softly, “Knowing him and his personality, nothing could have possibly terrified me more! … then our situation occurred and I used the excuse that he needed to help support our income to make him stay home, tell me … am I a bad mother?”

“It depends” Bathilda reasoned with her, “Is that true?”

“Partially” Kendra admitted weakly, “But otherwise, me working full time would have sufficed and government pension support could have been easy back up assistance. Aberforth who had no plans of going anywhere could have easily stepped in to help, - which he has done, but I didn’t want him to resent me in asking that of him, whilst his brother gets to avoid it all and go overseas. On the flipside, I’m now I am left with an elder son who doesn’t get to do what he dreamt of doing and all the while I think to myself … this is me protecting him. He’s not going to take a bad pill in a nightclub, he’s not going to get into a dodgy cab and shoot off to god knows where – where I’ll never see him again, he’s not going to meet the wrong person, that’ll cause bad things happen to him” she added thickly, whilst wiping her wet eyes.

Bathilda smiled sympathetically at her once more. 

“- and in the meantime” Kendra continued on in a raspy voice, “He gets to go to university and work towards securing his future and becoming someone, I wanted him to do something that met his potential, law like his father? medicine? but he wants to teach, he’s wanted that for a while now and as his mother I respect that choice, even if I don’t agree with it” she added frowning. 

“Does he know any of this?” Bathilda asked her softly, “Your perspective I mean …?” 

Kendra looked at her with wide eyes, then turned away, Bathilda understood. 

“It’s something you need to sit him down and talk to him about” said Bathilda in her firm voice once more, “You need to be open with him” 

“He’s not answering his phone” the other woman confirmed miserably, “I’ve called him about a dozen times already worried sick, either his phone is switched off or very typical of Albus, it has run out of battery!”

“I’m going to be exceedingly honest with you” said Bathilda sighing irritably, “If my nephew is behind that, I wouldn’t be at all surprised, but please understand in his defence … Gellert cares very much about your son, he really does want the best for him and wants him to be happy … even if he’s going a very idiotic and interfering way about it! - that’s standard of my nephew … but all in all, he honestly does mean well” she added in an almost plea towards the other woman. 

Kendra laughed a little, then stared somewhat baffled at the other woman.

“When I saw that note written by him” she began thickly, “I thought …”

“- that Gellert forced him away or something similar to that?” said Bathilda with an exasperated and somewhat amused look, “Trust me my dear woman, my Gellert is rough around the edges and may be intimidating to some, but he doesn’t have within him the capability nor determination to do something like that” she added reassuringly, - “the best Gellert might have done in this scenario, is coax Albus’ into to this act, by stimulating the boy's own desire and will, manipulation is something Gellert unfortunately does very well” 

Kendra smiled weakly at her. 

“I’m not trying to be offensive when I ask you this, but how do you know? how do you know what he is and what he is not capable of” she asked suspiciously.

“Because as you know your own children, I know him” said Bathilda in her firm tone voice more, “I was his guardian for two years, I’ve since been his housemate for one year, we’ve spoken to each other a lot, shared moments with one another, I’m the first person he’s ever properly trusted, being I was the first person to ever properly pay attention to him, our children need our love and attention, as well as our support and understanding” she added pointedly at the other woman. 

Kendra stood still, lost in thought for a while until Bathilda squeezed her hand for attention once more. 

“Dr Julie Collins, a child and adolescent psychologist at St Thomas Hospital and Riverside Medical Centre in Lambeth, is the person you should contact straight away” she said cautiously to the stiff woman, I have her card here” she added withdrawing from her other coat pocket, a card representing a middle aged brunette woman with prestigious credentials that Kendra hesitantly took, “I encourage you contact her to help with Ariana, I think once that starts occurring and Ariana starts to improve, Aberforth will automatically soften, being he won’t be as worried about her anymore and as for Albus … trust Kendra, trust! that’s all I can say” she added with a soft smile, before turning to take her leave. 

Kendra stared bewildered after her, for someone she formerly assumed the worst off, she had far more intelligence and integrity than the naked eye deceived. 

“Are you sure this woman is good?” Kendra asked perplexed, staring between the card and her retreating back. 

Bathilda froze as she stood and then turned around to Kendra.

Yes, she is very good” she said quietly, more to herself than the other women. 

She then left, leaving a very confused looking woman behind her. 

~

‘Has there been anything recently to suggest why he might have not been happy’…

Bathilda’s voice echoed within her ears as she climbed up the second set of stairs into her eldest son’s room. She opened the door gently and emerged herself in. Albus to her stern approval, always kept his room impeccably tidy. Books in alphabetical order in his shelf, clothes neatly folded in his dresser, bed made, nothing on the floor … Her eyes scanned the room as if dismally looking around for anything out of place, anything that could give her any possible sign or indication that Albus had not been himself as of recent. She sighed distressfully sitting down on his bed and racked her brain with thoughts of him, in recent moments, situations or occurrences. He’d been quiet yes, but Albus was always quiet … he wasn’t happy about missing his overeas trip and he’d been understandably upset over her reaction to him being gay, then the further need she had to meet and approve of his boyfriend, but what else …? She thought back to what Bathilda said about her being controlling as opposed to guiding and supportive, about Gellert’s written point regarding her not trusting or respecting him as an adult, was it really all her? Was she truly the soul cause for her son’s misery? 

Feeling angst vibrating in her soul once more, Kendra let out a deep sigh and lifted her head to stare out the window at what was the last remaining sunlight of a very complex and worrisome day. It was then she noticed something out of the ordinary, Albus’ laptop on his desk by the window. Normally he closed it when it he wasn’t using it, but the laptop was still open. Curious, Kendra shifted over to his desk and placed herself down on his chair. Expecting to see a partially completed essay, she clicked on the mouse pad and instead found an email Albus’ had been working on. Knowing her son’s password (serbetlemon), she typed that in quickly so that she now had the full screen in view. There she read his unfinished email to his friend Elphias.

~

Dear Elphias

I understand what you are saying, but please also understand this isn’t a short-term thing, I’ve been driven to a point where at times I feel like I don’t have any other real option. Since I was 6, my mother has been controlling my life, whatever say I had, whatever trace of individual thought, each and all of it was swept aside for the options she thought were better fitting of me. All to appease herself and people around her. I’m sick of ongoing tension with her and my brother and I am stick of feeling trapped within my own home, within my own skin! - and in terms of facing my problems like you said? I can assure you they won’t listen. They are both very stubborn people who see things the way they want to see them and there is little to no hope of arguing back

It wouldn’t be running away as in – going off somewhere, never to be seen again. It’ll be more a matter of just moving out of home and utilizing control of my own life and my own choices. To be able to live out my dreams and not worry about their disapproval. That’s all I want more than anything in the world right now … 

Gellert understands, I am not unaware of his reckless tendencies, I know what you are saying is true. But you and everyone else, also need to understand … that he makes me feel me! he makes me feel alive! and he makes me feel like things are possible, which is so nice to have after such a long period of it not being there. 

I think I am really starting to 

~

Kendra looked at the last line of her son’s unfinished email and understood exactly what he was starting to do; what implications that had and understood immediately his resentment of her and how the two led to what he had now done. 

Slowly she walked back over to her son’s bed and sat back down on it. From there, with fingers shaking once more, she called her son, which like each and every other time when straight to voicemail. With a strong determined, yet shaky breath, she proceeded to leave him a very long voicemail that she’d hope he’d listen to, sooner rather than later. 

“- I hope that in time you can forgive me; and please know how much I love you, I love so, so much, and I am so sorry” she concluded sniffily, wiping her wet eyes as then pressed the button to conclude her voicemail.

Swallowing back her tears and dignifying herself, she then reached into her blouse pocket for the card Bathilda had given her earlier. Typing the numbers into her device, she then sat, shaking her foot anxiously as a woman’s cool voice then answered.

“Hello, I’d like to book in an initial consultation for my daughter, name – Ariana Dumbledore”

~

“She sounds like a lovely woman” Kendra reassured her daughter in the car next morning, “Very professional and Bathilda down the street seems to have strong confidence in her methods, we’re very fortunate that she space for you today, though I have a feeling Bathilda might have convinced her to make space” she added as an afterthought.

“Will you be coming in with me?” asked Ariana, who was gripping the hand of her mother’s, that wasn’t on the stirring wheel. 

“Because you’ve under 18 yes” said Kendra softly, “Dr Julie also made a point about how it’ll be good for me to be there to listen to you talk”.

They sat in awkward silence for a little bit, until Kendra swallowing her pride, spoke again –

“Which I could have done at any given point anyway” she said turning to look at her daughter with a soft and previously absent motherly expression, “I’m very sorry that I didn’t …”

Ariana shifted in her seat somewhat awkwardly.

“It’s ok mother” said Ariana, quietly 

“No, it isn’t, its …”

“MUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM” Ariana shrieked suddenly 

…

…

~

“ALBUS PICK UP YOUR GODDAMN PHONE” Aberforth shrieked into his own phone, whilst leaving yet another voicemail for his missing in action brother. 

“Aberforth!” his Aunt Honoria snapped at him, “Stop! You’re not helping the situation, please I beg you, take some deep breaths and come take a seat” 

But seething, anxious and beyond all reason. He began pacing up and down the hospital room waiting room, trying again and again to call his older brother, just once, just one time could he please be here when needed?

“Mr Dumbledore” came a doctor’s voice interrupting his thoughts suddenly and he turned abruptly towards the woman in question. The doctor stood in front of him and his seated aunt with a practised facial expression, from there she cleared her throat formally. 

“Your sister is awake, aside from a fractured wrist and other cuts and bruises she’s fine” the doctor confirmed, nodding at him. 

Aberforth let out a whimper and ran his hands through his shaggy hair, as his aunt smiled encouragingly at him. 

“and my mother?” he then asked the doctor anxiously. 

The doctor gave him a sincere look then cleared her throat once more. 

“Alive” was her simple response 

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apart from this chapter, I've also been writing parts for the very last chapter. Looking forward to ending this story on a happy note. Any thoughts, feedback or constructive criticism, please share below :)


	18. When irony rains down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly Gellert and him coming to terms with everything.

17\. When Irony rains down

“So that’s it” said Minerva flabbergasted, “Just a note, no other explanation, no sit-down chat, just a note then *poof* he’s gone?”

“Yep” said Vinda darkly, clutching her drink, “and written by Gellert none the less, you should have seen his mother’s face, she was absolutely beside herself”

“I bet she was” said Minerva with a disbelieving sigh, “I told him to take this in baby steps, I guess what was predictably going to happen, happened – he just snapped” she added with an intense worried expression, pinching the sides of her empty coffee cup in stress. 

~

The two girls had abandoned their classes today, Vinda had found and approached the other girl whom was standing outside her lecture hall, looking around haphazardly for her friend who was not answering his phone. In seeing her from the corner of her eye, the other girl then turned concerned towards her. 

“Can we talk?” asked Vinda grimly, gesturing towards the staircase and Minerva against her own character, made to follow her rather than the horde of students entering the hall for their class. 

From there they had grabbed their standard hot drinks from Costa and walked further west, to the large sprawling green space that was home to the Imperial War Museum, that they now sat metres away opposite from, on top of the lush green grass. 

~

“- and the thing is, Gellert’s not answering his phone either … I know he said in his own note that’ll they’ll only be gone a few days, but I know him well enough to know that he can really get carried away with himself sometimes, so it could very well end up being longer! and Albus’ mother doesn’t know where he is, I don’t know where he is and all of this … isn’t fair on Ariana!” she then added savagely. 

Minerva smiled weakly at her. 

“I mean …” Vinda began with frustration, “Bathilda and I were at a point of really getting through to her, then this happened and almost immediately she took two steps backwards … the whole family needs to really sort their shit out!” she then added impatiently. 

“Don’t be mad at Albus” said Minerva, with a stern voice suddenly, “He’s a victim in all this as well technically”

“I’m not blaming him” said Vinda, brushing her comment aside, “I’m blaming the mother who can’t get a handle on things and that horrible boy whose actions caused all of this to happen in the first place”.

“We cannot erase the past” said Minerva gently, placing her hand over the other girls, “All we can try and do is help those in the present”

“I AM trying to help those in the present!” said Vinda, in an exasperated high-pitched voice, “Am I succeeding, however? … that I do not know” 

“But of course, you are” said Minerva stunned. “Vinda … you made quite an achievement yesterday, you got Ariana out of the house! Not even Albus or Aberforth have managed to do that as of yet”.

“Don’t talk to me about him” said Vinda flatly, tipping the rest of her now cold beverage out onto the clean-cut grass. 

Minerva frowned at her. 

“You’re still not talking to him?” 

“Non” said Vinda dully, scrunching up her cup that she then chucked basketball style into the nearby bin. 

“Good shot” said Minerva amused.

“I do have that most of the time yes” said Vinda, just as pitifully as before. 

“Don’t be silly Vinda, you still do! there's just been a couple of setbacks, one with Aberforth and one with Ariana and that’s all they were … setbacks, not failings!” said Minerva exasperatedly to her. 

Vinda then turned to face the other girl and Minerva suddenly realised that there was something else there, something else currently haunting her.

“You know … I learnt yesterday that my best friend lay in bed depressed for almost half a year and needed professional help to get him out of it I mean … what kind of friend or support am I if that’s something about the person I am closest to, that I didn’t even know about?” she asked her sadly. 

“A friend who didn’t know, as you just said” Minerva asserted to her, practically. 

“The same friend who didn’t get the chance to tell him that what he is doing right now is a very stupid idea” said Vinda crossly, ripping grass from the earth aggressively in frustration, “I always thought him and I were separate sides of the same coin, but since he started dating your close friend … I mean … I don’t know” she now added despondently, - “It feels like we’ve been drifting apart a little; and as for my own relationship … I mean, I like Albus a lot! - but Gellert has never had any tolerance when it comes to Aberforth, continues to antagonise him … and now he’s gone and done this, without talking to me about it or at least letting me know about it in advance” 

“He’s just lovesick” said Minerva reasonably, “and foolish with it … but he’ll come around, so will Albus, so will Aberforth, so will everyone else … we just need to give each other time and some patience”.

Vinda smiled warmly at her. 

“Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom, right?” she asked perplexed, “- well if she was, then the name suits you, being you are a very wise person” she added, lips quirking slightly. 

“I try to be” said Minerva sighing and raising herself to her feet, “Now how about we distract ourselves from worrying and obsessing over Dumbledore’s and Grindelwald’s and instead go do something you’ll enjoy, what was the name of that shopping area you wanted to take me to? - an alley with a D?”

“No, a lane with a B” said Vinda with a laugh, “Brick Lane … and what about university?” she then added, with a smirk at the reckless suggestion coming from the normally diligent and studious girl.

“I daresay, I won’t lose too much credential by skipping one day” said Minerva loftily, offering a hand down to the other girl, with a bright and somewhat cheeky smile. 

“Come” she said the said to her confidently and Vinda, with a eager grin, allowed herself to be pulled up. 

~

“If you had any magical ability what it would be?” said Albus gazing up at the sky from Gellert’s lap, that his head currently lay on. 

“Hmmm” mused Gellert, who was creating a necklace out of tiny shells, “Interesting question … perhaps the ability to see into the future? I tried tarot cards once … but it just wasn’t the same” he added with a condescending grimace. 

“You don’t like the future being kept a mystery?” asked Albus, bemused. 

“I like the idea of being able to counteract problems before they occur” said Gellert in a matter of fact tone, “But I suppose you're right, it would be pretty problematic, what about you?”

“So many to choose from” said Albus happily, “The ability to create large amounts of fire all at once, the ability to abstract light from its source, the ability to teleport from one place to another at the click of my fingers, the ability to fly …”

“I’d like to be able to fly” Gellert enthused, “Can you imagine flying around London and landing to rest on the minute hand of Big Ben, confusing the hell out of everyone who relies on it for the time?”

“They never do address that issue in the Peter Pan movie, do they?” said Albus with a laugh, “A genuine first step towards widespread chaos that is …”

Out of his eyesight, Gellert opposed to him, was now frowning with a mixed expression embedded on his face. 

“The ability to change the past” the boy then said tonelessly, to which Albus suddenly wide eyed and concerned, rolled over onto his stomach and stared up at his somewhat now dismal lover. He blinked a couple of times then gave Gellert a soft expression. 

“Why do I get the feeling that you hang onto that part of your life, more than you let on?” asked Albus cautiously, referring of course to Gellert’s family and past trauma, “I thought you said you were happy with the consequences that have now produced the life you have here?”

“I am” said Gellert stubbornly, abandoning his shell necklace and lifting himself up off the sand. 

He smiled down at the other boy, who continued to look up at him suspiciously. 

Frowned slightly at his demeanour, Gellert reached down as Albus was moving to stand himself and lifted him up, placing him steadily onto his feet. 

“Don’t burden yourself with it” said Gellert firmly to him, brushing sand off his shirt “My past is mine to bare and my future” he added giving his boyfriend a soft kiss on the lips and gazing at him fondly, - “Is beautiful …”

~

The afternoon following on from her last visit to the Dumbledore residence, Bathilda was in the middle of writing a new article. One that would be posted onto the British Museum’s website in approximately 5 days’ time (assuming she met her deadline). Her concentration was however suddenly broken by a knock on her front door. Wondering whether or not it might be Vinda, chasing up on communication or response from her missing in action nephew and his boyfriend, she rose from her desk and proceeded down the hall to answer the summons. 

Opening her door, she was a combination of both shocked and concerned to instead see a tall dark blonde-haired youth standing in front of her. She was further alarmed to see that the boy’s eyes were red and bloodshot and that the young man, who usually had a firm stance, was now standing cross armed and hunched into himself, as if bearing an intense heavy weight on his back.

“I’m sorry to disturb you Ms Bagshot” Aberforth stammered, “I just don’t know who else can help me right now” 

Bathilda stared the boy up and down with wide eye’s, then grabbing him by the shoulder, she gently led him inside her home.

“Of course, come in” she said to him kindly, as quivering he allowed himself to be directed down her hallway and into her kitchen. 

“What’s troubling you dear?” she then asked, moving to put her kettle on the stove. 

“No” said Aberforth, quickly raising a hand in ‘stop’ motion, “No, no don’t worry about that … I shan’t burden you too long, I just really need to know if I could borrow Gellert’s number from you, if that’s at all possible? 

Bathilda raised her eyebrows. 

“Is this due to Albus not answering his own phone?” she asked him with exceeding caution. 

“Yes” Aberforth whimpered, “I need to get a hold of him … there’s been an accident, my mum and my sister …” he added, then faltered due to his current breathlessness and trembling 

Bathilda continued to stare at him stunned, then snapped to her senses. She pulled out her mobile phone from her pocket and proceeded to call up a particular number. 

“Gellert isn’t answering his phone either” she confirmed softly to Aberforth, “But I know how to get a hold of him, so don’t you worry” she added with controlled reassurance, as the boy buried his face in his shaking hands. 

~

Albus and Gellert were in the midst of a make out session, when a soft tapping came at their room door. 

“Gellert” called out the voice of the very nice middle-aged woman named Kristie, who ran the lodge they were currently staying at, three streets away from Margate Beach, “I’ve got your aunt on phone, she really wants to talk to you …”

Gellert halted his pursuit down Albus’ neck and let a groan, making Albus giggle due to a combination of both amusement and ticklish, sensitive skin. 

“Thanks, Krisite” Gellert called out to her, whilst lifting himself up onto his hands, “Can you tell her I’m currently busy and that I’ll ring her back in um …” he considered, starting down at the boy underneath him with a smirk, - “2 hours so?” he added, burying his face into Albus’ neck once more. 

“Erm no, I can’t really hun” came Kristie’s exasperated voice, “She is very persistent on speaking to you right now and adds that if you don’t come talk to her right now, she told me to use my master key to come into the room and confiscate all your clothes, so that you’ll be forced to return to London naked” she added with a small trace of amusement in her voice. 

Gellert groaned again and Albus giggled more than ever. 

“She also says that she needs to speak to your boyfriend as well, says its urgent” Kristie added from the other side of the room, to which Albus’ eyes suddenly widened. Gellert lifted himself back up and started down at him reassuringly. 

“Don’t fret liebling, if it’s your mother there, commanding you come home, then I’ll deal with it” he said in a fierce, determined voice, “I’ll speak to my aunt first” he added giving the other boy a quick peck before lifting himself up off the bed and grabbing his shirt to go along with him. 

Albus pushed himself up into a seated position as well and buttoning his own shirt, made off the bed, to follow the other boy who was already at the door. Gellert looked over his shoulder at him and smiled whilst grabbing his hand with one of his own, - the doorknob with the other. The two then proceeded down the hallway and staircase and further into the broom cupboard sized front desk area, where a concerned looking Kristie, handed Gellert the receiver end of her incredibly outdated landline phone. 

“What’s up Aunt?” Gellert asked down the line to her, in a slightly bored tone of voice”.

“Listen to me” she snapped, taking him well and truly off guard, “There’s been an accident, I need you to give Albus back his phone, then I need you to bring him back to London ASAP”

Albus who could hear her shrill voice echo out of the receiver, stood frozen in shook. He gave his boyfriend a deep questioning look who gave him a somewhat guilty looking one back.

“Aunty” said Gellert exasperatedly to her, whilst also shooting his boyfriend a ‘give me a minute to explain myself’ sort of glance, as Albus continued to look at him with now a mixture of curiosity and betrayal, “The whole point of this getaway was to give Albus a break from his family who are stressing him out” he added with a pleading expression at his boyfriend, “If they are they are there pressuring you to make him come back through me, then just tell them …”

“Gellert you’re not listening to me” his aunt snapped angrily at him, “There – has – been – an – accident! Albus’ brother Aberforth has been trying to reach him, but you’ve been holding on to his phone and keeping your own switched off. Its only because of me and my knowledge of you, that he’s had this alternative mean of making contact with him, - being you wrote no location and no number on that note for them to have any possible idea of where he went” she then added shrilly at the boy.

Albus was now sinking on the spot. 

“I thought …” he began

“I was trying to give him a fucking break” said Gellert angrily down the line at woman, 

“Well you’ve managed aggravate an already delicate situation instead, so well done! maybe next time you really will use your common sense!” said his aunt furiously, “Can you please put Albus on the phone for me now?”

Gellert going blank, handed the phone to Albus who took it from him with trembling fingers. 

“Hello” he stammered into the phone. 

“Albus darling” said Bathilda in a much softer tone, “Your mother and sister have been in a car accident, your sister is shaken but otherwise fine, your mother however … has gone into a coma” she added as tenderly as she possibly could, though her insides were full of dread, “- your brother has been trying to get in contact with you, they are at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital …”

“Ok” said Albus shakily, “I’ll get there as soon as possible …” 

“Ring me if you need anything” said Bathilda kindly, “and I’ll be there straight away!”

“Ok” Albus stammered, “Thank you …” he then added before placing the phone back down and turning a morbid, shocked expression at his boyfriend.

~

\- 1 day prior -

“I think after last night we really ought to have a shower before we go” said Albus, choosing clothes from Gellert’s draw and placing them into his bag. 

“I’m writing my note now” said Gellert nodding at him from his desk, “Do you want me to write yours for you as well?”

“Yes” said Albus, scanning his dresser now for personal hygiene products, “Can you just add the name of the place and its phone number, considering Aberforth didn’t pack my phone along with the charger that’s in there, which is odd …” he then added with a frown. 

Gellert frowned a little to himself as well, but regardless, he turned a positive and upbeat expression in the direction of his boyfriend. 

“Are you sure you really want her to know where you are?” he asked in a more serious voice. 

“Well” said Albus, momentarily abandoning his pursuit and brushing a hand through his hair, “No not really, but at the same time its cruel and irresponsible not to, not to mention something might happen while I’m away, with my sister there’s always that possibly”

“But you’re supposed to be taking a break from all that drama” Gellert delicately reminded him, “If you tell her where you are, then to quote Aberforth – ‘If you lure my brother away from his responsibilities, I’ll be there to grab him by the arm and bring him straight back’” he added with a repulsed frown. 

Albus frowned disconcertedly back at him. 

“He said that?” he asked him quietly.

“Yes” Gellert confirmed, with an encouraging undertone. 

Albus stood still for a few moments, before turning back to his previous task. 

“Tell her I’ll be gone for a few days and leave the place’s number for her” he said coldly, “but not an address … I get to decide if I want to answer those calls or not”

“Of course,” said Gellert smiling, as he begun to write down the note for him, “and I’ll have my phone in case remember?”

“mmhmmm” Albus murmured, then suddenly beamed, - from having triumphantly located Gellert’s cologne that he adored on him, which he then chucked happily into the bag on top of his already packed clothes. 

~

“Albus, wait … stop!” Gellert called desperately after him, but he wasn’t listening. With his bag over his shoulder, he rushed out of the lodge, heading in the direction of the train station. His throat felt like it had a small cog in it, or maybe a miniature chainsaw, whilst in his stomach he felt a sickness completely unrelated to digestion. 

“Stop” Gellert demanded and in catching up with him, grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. Albus in turn glared at him

“I asked you to put the lodges number on the note” he accused, highly dismayed, “I asked you to! That aside I thought you had your phone on you like you said, I didn’t realise it was turned off”

“I’m sorry” said Gellert, grabbing the boy’s sides in an attempt to calm him down, “I didn’t want you getting harassed with phone calls all day long, that’s all” 

“and then what of my mobile” shrieked Albus, completely beside himself, “at least if I had that I would have been able to switch the calls onto silent”

“If you had of had either, you would have had no silence!” Gellert snapped, “I told you” he added his expression softening, a desperate and pleading look taking over, - “I told you I’d help you to break away”

“This isn’t breaking away Gellert” said Albus ballistically, “This is avoidance and running away”

“I thought deep down, that’s what you wanted” the other boy questioned him, severely.

“NO” Albus almost screamed, “I wanted independence and freedom, and all that’s happened, is that I’ve been switched from one controlling person to another! Also, what happened to my charger?” he then added with raised eyebrows. 

“Your broken zip” said Gellert, derisively back at him. 

Albus scoffed disbelievingly, then moved to rush off. 

“Albus!” shouted Gellert hysterically, as the other boy shot off across the road, metres in front of incoming traffic.

Making it safety onto the opposite side of the road, the boy then turned to him. 

“I thought you said you’d never knowingly deceive me!” he shouted back at him, distress and upset clouding very inch of his face. 

“I …” Gellert stammered thickly, as cars rushed past between the two of them. 

“Leave me alone!” Albus further shouted and began rushing away once more, with Gellert unable to pursue him due to the influx of beach goer cars He was forced instead to watch him disappear around the corner and out of sight. 

“fuckfuckfuckfuck” Gellert mentally cursed as he then desperately tried to cut across the traffic, to the response of beeping horns and actual verbal swearing. He raced onwards, following Albus’s footsteps in the direction of the station. He looked over the heads for a trace of auburn hair that amongst the greys and browns of other pedestrians, could not be seen. By time he had at last made it to the train station, his chest heaving from all the sprinting, a train was already shooting away the platform, heading West in the direction of London and confirming to him that Albus had beaten him and was already gone. 

“FUCK” he screamed out loud to one no in particular other than himself. 

~

Albus stood on the slow-moving train, swallowing back the tears that he did not need right now! Now was not the time for personal anguish or self-pitying thoughts. Gellert had taken things too far as Aberforth believed he would, had lied to him, hurt him … but now was not the time to dwell on that. Because he could not spare any moment to think about himself. His family needed him! his injured sister, his unconscious mother, his rightfully angry and distressed brother. 

He then tried for the first time to switch on his phone, that he had snatched from Gellert moments before. It wouldn’t switch on … it was out of battery … 'god he was so stupid!!'

“I’m coming guys! I’m on my way” said Albus, allowing one small tear to trickle down his cheek, “I’m sorry …”

~

\- 2 hours later – 

Unable to sit still, unable to properly think, Bathilda paced backwards and forwards in front of her living room window. Breathing in a sigh of worry and discontentment, she attempted to call her nephew again but to no avail. 

‘Come on Gellert’ she thought desperately to herself, ‘Don’t do this to me’. 

Kristie the manager of Seaside Lodge in Margate had called her two hours prior, saying that the young redhead boy had rushed out of the building on the verge of tears with Gellert himself frantically following him. Then afterwards, Gellert had returned 5 minutes later with a distraught, almost mad expression. She told her that he grabbed his things from out his room and had stormed off up the street without saying goodbye, like he normally did, being the two were quite good acquaintances. Bathilda took each part of that conversation into a particular order A) Albus had clearly gotten mad at him and the two had fought, B) Gellert was reliving his former breakup and was now out there somewhere going through the waves of post-traumatic stress. C) Gellert when upset tended to be even more reckless and irrational than normal and after a challenging day, she really couldn’t cope with the idea of the human being she loved more than anyone else in the whole world, getting himself into avoidable trouble somewhere out there, where she couldn’t reach him. 

However, she didn’t have to dwell on it too much longer, as a single headlight, accompanied by a high revving noise, came through her window, as Gellert himself drove his vehicle recklessly along the gutter and up onto the footpath, where after having jumped off, he aggressively kicked the stand down to park it. 

Bathilda emerged out the door and onto the top of her front steps, staring down ballistically at him. 

“Thank god” she shrieked down at him, “what's that another rental?” she then added, giving the vehicle in question a double take over. 

Gellert ignored her and instead pushed past, onwards up the hallway and staircase. Having none of it, she stormed off after him all the way into his bedroom. 

From the doorframe she watched him as he pulled two more bags down from the top shelving of his cupboard and chucked them aggressively onto the bed next to the already packed one that he had come home with. 

“and where exactly do you think you’re going?” Bathilda snarled at him, from her crossed armed position in front of his escape route. 

“I don’t know … who cares” he snapped back at her, “Away … I’ll see when I get a look at flight’s, my ex is a dickhead, but maybe he’ll let me sleep on his couch for a couple of nights”

“So it’s that bad you want to go all the way back to Vienna” she said loftily, not relenting to him at all. 

“You don’t get it” said Gellert standing up straight and staring at her angrily, “I’ve fucked up all right! … and now … I really need to fucking get out of here, can you arrange a flight for me while I’m packing” he added now pulling clothes from his dresser draw

“No, I can’t” she snarled back at him, “I mean I could? but I sure as hell am not going to”

“You can’t stop me from leaving” he snapped at her. 

“I SURE AS HELL CAN” she now shouted at him, “NOW STOP BEING A DRAMA QUEEN AND SIT DOWN!”

Gellert stood up straight once more, staring at her with wide and slightly timid eyes.

“I mean it” said Bathilda fiercely, motioning a finger towards his bed, “Sit …. Down …” 

With one last reproachful look, Gellert did what he was told and placed himself down on the mattress. Sighing he proceeded to glare at her, whilst she closed the door to the room and moved over to sit on his desk chair that she then twirled around so that she was looking at him, face to face, at eye level. 

“When you showed up on my doorstep three years ago” she said to him firmly, “That to me was the first and only time, I’d ever allow you to run away from your problems and even if you ever tried, if yesterday and today wasn’t strong enough indication … you can’t and won’t ever get far from me!” 

Gellert scoffed and turned his attention away to avoid eye contact. 

“Is true thought isn’t it” said Bathilda, “You could have chosen to take that boy anywhere, you’d have been more successful getting him away from his family had you chose somewhere completely random, but you chose the place where you knew I’d be able find you, you said so yourself in your note”

“I like Kristie” said Gellert stiffly, “She’s one of your best ex-girlfriends, aside from Julie obviously; and I like Margate, there’s actual sand there rather than pebbles”

“You chose comfort and security” said Bathilda firmly, “That’s what you did … you are nowhere near as strong as you think you and that boy … he’s nowhere near as weak as you think he is”

“I don’t think he’s weak” Gellert retorted with a horrified expression. 

“Then why are you attempting to take on his problems for him, like can’t deal with them on his own?” said Bathilda, with narrowed eyes

“That’s not what I am trying to do, I’m trying to help him utilise his own self-worth and autonomy” said Gellert thunderstruck. 

“Maybe that how it started, but you’ve since become possessive and controlling of him, can you not see the irony in that? You resent his mother for doing the same thing, but she like you loves him very much and is only trying to look out for and protect him” said Bathilda calmly,

“No … that’s … not it” said Gellert thickly. 

“But it is Gellert” said Bathilda sympathetically, “Taking his phone of him is controlling and possessive behaviour, writing his note for him that wasn’t what he intended you to write – is controlling and possessive behaviour, it’s what his brother was worried about, everything he feared you might do, you’ve now gone and done”

Gellert opened and closed his mouth, then looked down at the ground with a mixed, morbid expression. 

“Something you need to understand Gellert” said Bathilda moving her chair towards him so that she could reach out and grasp his hands in her own, “That family on the corner … is not our family” she added firmly, pushing to get her much needed point clearly across – “they are a completely different family! and it’s easy for you to associate the tendencies of Albus’ mother with your own, but they are different people! I understand why you did what you did, you wanted to help him, you wanted to liberate him! … but it was thoughtless, it was self-motivated and all in all, - it wasn’t the right thing to do! for nobody more especially than Albus” she added softly, giving him a comforting, motherly expression. 

Gellert raised his eyes from the floor, to stare into hers, within the corner there were tears but ones he would not let fall, he would never let those tears fall! 

“Do not project your demons onto them” she then said firmly, “They have enough of their own already … and I know you really love Albus and want to help him, but for god’s sake … don’t try to fix his problems for him!! That’s his task, that he needs to do on his own and in time I think he will eventually find the confidence to be able to! and when he does, he’ll need his boyfriend there to support him. I certainly believe in him, do you?” she then added with raised eyebrows at him. 

“I do” he said to her defensively.

“Good” she replied firmly back, “and what of your own? do you think maybe we need to revisit you and your handling of your own problems? or do you think you’ll be ok?” she then added with nurturing concern

“No” said Gellert firmly now; and looking at her with a confident expression, “I’ll be ok”.

“You will be” said Bathilda smiling at him, “Because you are such a brave, clever and remarkable person, who is so, so loved! and together, we can pull through, it’s what you and I do …”

Gellert laughed weakly and allowed maybe just a few tears to flow, whilst being pulled off his seat on the bed and into the arms of his eye rolling aunt. From the ground, he kneeled with his arms encased around her middle, with her's around his shoulders and neck 

“I love you” he simpered into her blouse. 

“Your an idiot and a menace, but I love you too” she said smiling into his hair, “and if you ever try to run off on me again, I swear … next time round, there will be no more scones for you for the rest of your life”

“You’ll never hold that up” said Gellert smiling up at her. 

“Watch me” she said testily and prying her nephew’s arms off her, she then made to stand up from her chair. 

“Well come along my darling” she said weakly, “There’s a boyfriend you need to be supporting right now”

“He won’t want to see me” said Gellert standing also, “He hates me right now”

“Rubbish” said Bathilda, brushing creases from his t shirt, “You had a fight, that’s all … and he needs you right now” she added, pointedly to him. 

He stood gazing softly down at her, before his trademark smirk returned once more. 

Bending down, he kissed her softly on the cheek then proceeded out the room, with her beaming from behind him

~

[To: Vinda

I’m so sorry I’ve been out of range Meine Liebe. I  
don’t know if you know, but there’s been an  
accident. Albus and Aberforth’s mum and sister  
are in hospital. Their mum is in a serious condition.  
If you’re not already there, then get over! It’s the Chelsea  
And Westminster Hospital, I’m on my way now!]

~ 

By time the train had made it back to St Pancras station, Albus was frantic. He didn’t realise he had accidentally hopped onto the regular train, rather than the express one he should have, so his journey had therefore taken him almost 3 hours opposed to 2 hours. But he was still not there yet! The closest underground station to the hospital his mother and Ariana were at - was Fulham Broadway and to get there he would need to take the Victoria Line down to Victoria station, 5 stops, then transfer onto the District line to his desired stop, another 6 stops from there. Then the walk to the hospital and finding them within it, would take him a least another 30-40 minutes. So whimpering with anxious despair, he pushed on. Coming up from escalator to his platform, he ran past shops, cafes and curious onlookers, past the grand piano and various train boards until he emerged out into the evening, where a short distance away, was another set of stairs that would lead down the underground. He took the steps two at a time, tapped his card at the gate frantically and just managed to bound down yet another escalator and set of stairs to push onto the leaving train just before the firm and dignified overhead voice, announced the closing of the doors. More escalators, more people, another train, another set of stairs and he was out onto Fulham Road. Turn left, continue up, pass Brompton Cemetery, faster and faster in the direction of the hospital. Finally, feeling every part of his body shaking, he found himself in Accident and Emergency Department, where the sympathetic administration lady told him his sister currently was, but his mother however had been transferred somewhere else upstairs. Wanting to see his awake and possibly terrified sister first, he charged on down the hall past other wards, seeing in the distance the door that would lead him to where he wanted to go. 

~

“Gellert” a voice called out desperately from behind him. 

He had just managed to find a small, non-legal spot for his motorbike on Fulham Road, and was in the midst of rushing towards the intimating building when he heard his best friend’s voice from behind him. He turned to see her and Minerva running towards him, from the direction of a curb side parked black cab. 

“We were in Covent Garden when I got your message” she panted embracing him in a hug, “Where have you been?” she now added angrily, pulling herself away and glaring menacingly at him. 

“No time!” spat Minerva at the two of them, as Gellert who was opening his mouth to answer, quickly closed it again, “Come on that family needs us!” she then urged, as she herself continued briskly on down the pathway towards the hospital, with her two friends following her closely from behind. 

“ALBUS” Gellert shouted suddenly as the boy himself came running down the road from the opposite direction, miles ahead in front of them. He didn’t hear Gellert however and turned abruptly, disappearing into the building through its automatic doors.

“ALBUS” Gellert called out again desperately and made to run after him, with both Vinda and Minerva trailing him. 

~

Having perhaps seen him through the two-way glass panels, Albus’ heart leapt when he saw his brother Aberforth emerge out of the exact door he was heading towards. His brother was walking quickly towards him, an unreadable expression painted across his face. 

“Aberforth …” he began breathlessly 

“WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?” his brother screamed at him and before a frightened Albus could respond, he felt the contact of his brother’s fist sinking into his nose, causing blood, causing pain … causing a crack - that he himself heard. 

He staggered two steps back, hands shooting immediately up to his now bloody and broken nose. From behind his hands, he raised watery eyes to his younger brother who was staring between his still enclosed, blood specked fist and him with a panic-stricken, horrified face. 

Feeling both pain from his nose and water spilling from his eye’s, Albus turned back round in his former direction and was met with strong toned arm’s encircling him, holding him tight, allowing him into the warmth and comfort of that space and he forgetting within that moment that he was ever mad at Gellert, sunk into his protective embrace. The boy in question held him tightly and stared lividly up at the assaulter, who was continuing to watch on with a dazed, morbid expression. 

“HOW IRONIC” Gellert shouted completely enraged, “THAT THE PERSON WHO ENDED UP HURTING HIM WAS YOU!”

“Shut up Gellert!” Vinda snapped at him, moving herself rapidly towards the other boy, as Gellert, Minerva and a newly arrived nurse guided the bloody nosed Albus away from them. 

“Hey” she said softly up at the boy. 

Aberforth’s daze was over and he was now shaking from head to foot. 

“Why didn’t you call me?” she asked him frantically. 

“You ….” he said with shaky breaths, “You weren’t talking to me …”

“This is an emergency situation” she then said to him in an emotional, high pitched voice. 

“I didn’t ….” He began thickly, as his outer walls began to crumble, “I didn’t mean to …”

“I know” she soothed pulling him into her arms, “I know”

It was then at last, the rough, unleaded, uncompromising, strong and firm boy who felt he so needed to be the strength of everyone around him … broke down in her arms. 

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Resolution starts next chapter and will mostly revolve around Albus FINALLY finding his feet, confidence and standing up for himself - with Gellert's support of course
> 
> Thank you to everyone whose stayed on up to this point. I'm so incredibly grateful!


	19. A pathway back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life got busy, but still managed to pump this out within the timeframe I wanted. On that note I've added another two chapters due to the fact that I don't want to rush the resolution and ending of this story. So much needs to occur before the show wraps up. If this chapter is a bit slow, I apologise ... It directly leads into the next one, - which will be quite significant in its own way. 
> 
> As always thank you for reading! ... any feedback, please share in the comments section. I read and respond to pretty much everything 
> 
> <3

19\. A pathway back. 

As Albus was receiving the last of the horizontal bandages needed across his now slightly deformed nose, Minerva made a point of dipping out of the nurse’s room, to buy them all hot drinks from the cafeteria on the other side of the building. Having sensed a particular mood within the air, she thought it best to leave the boys to resolve their tension, as her presence would only disrupt that from occurring. 

From beside Albus’s cushion bench, Gellert sat on a fold out chair clutching his hand, that he squeezed each time the poor boy next to him winced in pain. 

“All done now love” the kind nurse said, smiling down at him, “Just give those drugs a little bit of time to kick in and the pain won’t be as bad” she added kindly. 

“Thank you” Albus said sincerely to her. 

“With devastation comes displaced emotion” she said, nodding, “It’ll all work out fine” she added, smiling encouragingly at him. Then after replacing her gloves, she also left the room, so to give the two boys some needed alone time, she also sensed they needed. 

From there, the two of them sat in awkward silence for what could have been 2 minutes, before each attempted to speak at the same time. 

“I’m sor” Gellert began desperately

“Tell me something?” said Albus’ cool voice over him.

Gellert blinked. 

“Of course, anything” he said to the other boy faintly, turning to look directly at him. 

Albus met his gaze for a few moments, then turned his attention away again, staring at the nurse’s station as if processing mixed thoughts and emotions. 

“If you really could have seen into the future and had saw this coming” he said quietly, “What would you have done?”

Gellert frowned deeply at the question. 

“If I had the ability to see into the future this wouldn’t have happened at all, I’d be able to correct my mistakes, well before they affect the people around me who I care about” he responded bitterly.

“and you’d have learnt nothing” said Albus softly, grasping his hand tighter for reassurance and giving him a small forgiving sort of smile from the corner of his mouth “and neither would’ve I”.

“This was a big mistake though …” Gellert interjected weakly, turning himself away once more, “My aunt and I have spoken about it, what I did wasn’t right … I hope you can forgive me, if not now, then overtime, I only wanted to help you and didn’t think about the consequences of what I was doing … I’m sorry” he stammered, avoiding all possible eye contact and staring self-consciously at the nurse’s station as well.

“But you have helped me” said Albus softly to himself, but loud enough for the other to hear. He then turned to gaze at the other boy, using the hand that wasn’t in his grasp, to gently turn Gellert’s face towards him. 

“All my confidence, the very small bits that have developed recently, have all been because of you!” he said sincerely, stroking the side of his lovers face with his thumb, “- and yes, I don’t like you doing things like keeping my phone for me, but I do like riding on your bike! and playing in the sea … and doing other things” he added giving the boy a pointed look, who snorted very weakly in response

“It’s these small moments that help to make a person feel alive and good about themselves; and that’s all been you” he continued on, smiling genuinely at the other boy, “Even me standing up to you – was all you too!” he added, laughing softly against the bitter irony of it. 

Gellert sniffed loudly and squeezed the hand on his cheek. 

“But had your mother not been so worried about you, then -”

“No” Albus whispered to him urgently, “You cannot allow yourself to think like that”

Gellert blinked, then suddenly looked very upset, even more upset than before. 

“Perhaps … but it’s hard not to think about these things sometimes, I told you … I love my new life here better than my old one and its true, but sometimes, I find myself thinking …” Gellert admitted, staring very deeply into the other’s eyes, “Occasionally … despite my best attempts, those kind of thoughts I don’t want to think about, just slip through” he added miserably, not wanting to show the other boy his weaknesses, but understanding and realising this was possibly a mistake too. 

For Albus, what Gellert was referring to didn’t need to be spoken out loud. He saw the pain in his eyes and without second questioning it, he knew and understood. Automatically, he pulled the other boy into a caring embrace, allowing him to rest his head on his chest as he wrapped one arm around him for support and used the other to gently stroke his hair, the same way he often did with him. 

“When you told me about your mother, I …” said Gellert, breathlessly.

“I know” Albus soothed him, “I understand …” 

Gellert half snorted, half sobbed in response and Albus gripped him more firmly. 

“They were fools” he whispered softly into his blonde hair, “Fools who don’t know what they are missing out” he added kissing the same spot – “The greater good, right?”

“So, despite my fuck up” said Gellert bitterly, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, “You unlike them, will still have me?”

“Always” Albus responded firmly. 

When the other boy however continued to look doubtful, Albus moved himself sideways, motioning for Gellert to sit next to him on his bench space. It was there he wrapped his arms around the other boys’ shoulders and stared determinedly at his otherwise uncertain face. 

“I’m yours Gellert … like you said; and unless you commit mass murder or become an evil dictator, no fuck up will ever change that” said Albus forcefully to him, “There’s a phoenix in the sky … hope and chance to start over remember? each time you burn out, I’ll be there for you … provided you also be there for me, - as the two of us continue making our stupid mistakes in life!” he added, realising an arm from the others shoulder and moving a hand upwards to caress his face once more. 

“Do you promise me?” he pressed, firmly

It was within moment, that Gellert finally allowed those tears of his to silently flow.

“I promise Liebling” he said softly, grabbing the hand off his cheek and placing a small kiss onto it. 

Albus beamed at him, then moved forward into the other's warm personal space. Gellert responded by sniffing loudly and wrapping his arms protectively around him. 

There squeezed onto the small bench they stayed, embraced in one in other, breathing in each other’s calming scent, soothing in each other warmth, - that was of course until another nurse suddenly walked in, causing them to violently jump apart. 

“Oh, don’t mind me” said the middle-aged woman smirking at them, as they sat straightening their shirts and blushing pervasively

Gellert cleared his throat loudly and the woman, having grabbed what equipment she needed, walked back out again, murmuring something about ‘young love …’. Both boys smile blissfully in her wake. 

“I now need to go and fix problems within my family” said Albus quietly from the corner of his mouth, “and whilst I am doing that, I need to sort myself out as well, you’ll be here to support me right?” he added hopefully. 

“Of course,” replied Gellert automatically, “I promised you before … and else-wise there is nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for you”

Albus turned and smiled widely at him, and Gellert sensing his eyes, turned to gaze affectionately back. In what then seemed like forever, despite is only being a few hours, their lips met once more; and nothing in the world could have ever disrupted that moment, nothing except - 

“Hem Hem” came a pointed cough from in from of them, making them both jump apart again. 

“Oh please” said Minerva loftily with a raised eyebrow, “Don’t mind me” she added smiling and holding out a carton drink holder with two warm beverages for them each to take. 

~

“I’m sorry I didn’t do what you told me to do” Albus said to the girl next to him as they made their way out of the nurse’s room 20 minutes later, in the direction of the emergency ward, “I was supposed to take things in baby steps …”

“Everyone makes mistakes” she said cordially to him, “Just don’t ever worry me like that again” she added, in a stern voice, though giving him a small smile from the corner of her mouth. Albus’ sensing it, smiled as well, though a lot more guiltily than her. 

As the two walked slowly, Gellert went on ahead. From a few paces in front, he gazed through the glass panels and nodded back at them.

“Aberforth and Vinda aren’t there” he confirmed softly. 

Albus meeting his gaze, swallowed his nerves back and nodded. Him and Minerva then moved forward and from there, pushing the doors open, the three them then entered the room. Albus’ eye’s scanned across the beds until suddenly, he found the person whom he was so desperately looking for. Forgetting in that moment, everyone and everything around him, he then rushed forward and dove in, collapsing himself over her fail body and clutching onto it for dear life. 

“Albus” she said weakly, but gladly into his shoulder.

After a few seconds of her holding her tight, he then he stood himself up, staring pain stricken down at her, as she in turn, stared tiredly back up at him. 

“What happened to your nose?” she asked in a high pitched, concerned sounding voice. 

“Never mind my nose” he said sniffily to her, “Your alive … your safe” 

She didn’t say anything back, rather turned her head away, both sad and contemplative, gazing at nothing in particular of in the distance. 

Albus turned back round to Minerva and Gellert whom out of caution, hadn’t left their places near the door. He then gave them a pointed look and understanding, Gellert placed his arm around Minerva’s shoulders and the two of them walked back out again. He himself closed the curtain around his sister’s bed, before finding a chair and sitting down next to her. Whilst seated, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. It was his way of providing the support and comfort, so needed within that moment between an older brother and his little sister. 

“Aberforth has gone home” she confirmed quietly and moving her face to look at him once more, “He was very upset, Aunt Honoria is giving him and Vinda a lift back to our house” 

“Ok” Albus stammered in response. 

“- and mother has been moved to a department upstairs” said Ariana tearfully, “she’s in a coma”

“I know” said Albus in a shaky voice, “I know …” 

The two stared at each other for a little while, until Albus spoke again. 

“I feel like I haven’t provided you with anywhere near as much love over the last two years as you deserve” he said to her quietly, “and for that, I am so very sorry” he added, feeling well and truly, beyond miserable. 

“What do you mean?” she asked him blank faced. 

“I mean I’ve been selfish” he bitterly admitted back, “I’ve been caught up dwelling over my own burdens, whereas I could have been paying closer attention to you and helping you with yours, you deserve so much more than me”

The girl smiled weakly up at him

“You know … I’ve been looking up to you my whole life, your one of my most favourite people in the world” she said bashfully, going slightly pink cheeked, “ and when you were unhappy, it made everything worse … but then when Gellert came along and you were happy, I mean … well … what I mean is” she added thickly, now going red - “is that I felt that! … it made me positive and at the same time, the darkness didn’t seem as intense as before, the thought that I was causing everyone’s unhappiness, is what constantly made everything worse”.

“You’re not the cause for our unhappiness and you never will be” said Albus firmly, “Perspective, values and self-autonomy have a role to play in how we shape our world and like I said … I was selfish … and self-centred, but I don’t want to be that way anymore … we are family and as such we should be supporting one another. Moving on from today, from this incident, I want to be a real and proper big brother to you … and to Aberforth” he added in a strong, though slightly timid voice.

“But you are” she said to him tearfully, “You the best big brother in the whole world!” 

Albus sniffed loudly and hugged her deeply once more. They held onto each other for some time until it was then Ariana that broke away. 

“You know” she said to him sniffily, “I saw the danger coming this time, had I not, mum wouldn’t have swerved, and she now could be …” she added fearfully, not finishing the sentence. 

“So, you’re a hero?” said Albus softly to her, smiling slightly despite his body trembling. 

“We were on our way to see Dr Julie, Bathilda’s friend” she said to him unevenly, “and I still want to go, but Aunt Honoria thinks I need to stay here for a bit first”

“I think she’s right” said Albus nodding, “Get well at this angle first”

“The doctor who reviewed me, says that there is potential to get referred to St Thomas where there is a ward for teenagers with similar issues to me, Dr Julie works there as well” she added, gazing up hopefully up at him. 

“and would you like that as well?” Albus asked her pointedly. 

Once more, she smiled very weakly at him. 

“I have dreams” was her simple response, “I’d would like them to happen one day and to do that, I think I need some help and guidance” she added with a tiny smile, that Albus responded to by smiling warmly back at her. 

“In that case, we’ll get it arranged for you” he said kissing her on the forehead. 

“Excuse me sorry” said a nurse gently pulling the private curtain back a little, not to intervene, but rather to have her voice heard clearly, “I’m very sorry to have to give you this news, but visiting hours are almost over, the patients need rest” she added sympathetically.

Albus stared back down at Ariana. 

“You look so tired” she said softly to him, “Go home and get some rest, I’m not going anyway” she added with a small attempt at humour despite the overall seriousness of the situation. 

Albus giggled a little at her. 

“Will you be ok overnight?” he added with concern, brushing some of her hair gently back. 

She smiled at him again. 

“I’ll be ok” is what she then said in a very final sort of way. 

He then beamed positively down her, showing that he not only understood … but enthusiastically agreed!

~

Wiping wetness from his eye’s, he then remerged back out into the hospital corridor where close by on benches, Gellert and Minerva sat waiting for him. To Albus’ surprise they were also joined by Gellert’s Aunt Bathilda who stood clutching her car keys and his Aunt Honoria, whom having finished dropping Aberforth and Vinda off, had returned to the hospital to see and check up on her precious elder nephew. 

“My beautiful darling boy” she cried, rushing towards him and pulling him in, as he himself sunk gladly into her soft, comforting arms.

The two then separated and the elder woman, gently stroked his cheek.

“I was just telling this kind lady over here” said Aunt Honoria, nodding towards Bathilda, “About Ariana’s desire to be transferred to the teen mental health ward at the children’s hospital attached to St Thomas” she added, nodding in approval at the idea.

“and I told your aunt that Dr Julie, one of the facilitators there is very, very good at helping teenagers experiencing trauma, get back on their feet” said Bathilda, smiling sincerely at him, “Ariana was supposed to see her at her private clinic today in fact”

“I know” said Albus nodding, “she was just telling me”

The two women then shot each other a glance, before gazing back at him. 

“Being her ‘at age’ brother” said Aunt Honoria meaningfully to Albus, “I told the nurses that whilst her mother is in a coma, these decisions come down to you, whilst your mother is not around, you technically, be it only temporary, - are her legal guardian” she added cautiously, though with an encouraging smile at the boy. 

Albus blinked rapidly in response to that statement, then cleared his throat nervously. 

“I think it’s a good idea and she’s enthusiastic which makes me enthusiastic” he said genuinely. 

“Wonderful” said Aunt Honoria smiling very broadly at him, “There will be paperwork that you’ll need to come back and sign tomorrow, then possibly after a few days when the doctors believe she is physically well enough, they’ll organise an ambulance to make the transfer”

“The visiting hours at Julies ward are much more flexible then here” added Bathilda reassuringly, “which will allow us all to visit and check-up on her anytime we need to” she added with a kind smile, “ In fact most teens don’t stay there longer than 2-3 months, mostly they get the help they need and are then able to go home, provided they have one to go to obviously …”

“- and that’s the next topic of conversation” said Aunt Honoria grimly, nodding at Bathilda. 

“As I was just saying to your Aunt …” said Bathilda with a sincere, motherly look at the startled boy, “You are all welcome to stay with me until Kendra wakes up, I’ve become somewhat of an expert in taking in lost teenagers over the years and if need be, I can happily make room for you all” she added encouragingly, whilst offering him yet another kind and reassuring smile” 

Albus shuffled his feet for a few moments, then feeling something within him that had been dormant for so long, he stood up straight and stared the two women down.

“No” he said softly, “Thank you for the offer Bathilda, but we’ll be ok …” he stated confidently, - “Everything will be fine … and I’ll be ok looking after things …”

From next to him, Gellert squeezed his hand again and Albus smiled adoringly down at him. 

Aunt Honoria smiled weakly at him.

“Well at least stay with her or me for tonight at least” she added pointedly, making reference to something that he immediately understood, “It’s been an emotionally exhausting day for everyone, so perhaps some time and space to allow things to settle may -”

“No” interrupted Albus firmly, making her look startled, “No …” he repeated, - “him and I are not doing this anymore! – It’s time him and I sorted out our differences. We cannot afford to waste any more time being at odds with one another, not now that our mother and sister need us both now more than ever!”

“Darling I beg you” said Aunt Honoria staring warily at his broken nose, “I agree with everything you say, but please for Aberforth’s sake, give it a couple of days … you know what he is like” she added persuasively.

Staring back down at Gellert again, who nodded agreeably with her words, Albus then turned his attention back to his Aunt. 

“Ok” he said stubbornly, “a few days and nothing more”

“Good” said his aunt nodding, “Let that girl settle him down a bit first” she added with a small smile (the woman had rapidly taken to Vinda upon her meeting not 1-hour prior). 

“Gellert you can take Albus back to our place” said Bathilda, nodding at her nephew, “and Minerva if you’d like a lift home I’d be happy to take you, we have much historical knowledge to discuss you and I’ she added giving the girl in question a generous smile. 

“Have you ever been to Inverness Castle?” the enthusiastic girl asked her eagerly, as she stood to follow the woman back down the corridor, in the direction of the hospital carpark. 

“See you all soon” Bathilda called over her shoulder, as the two women walked away, talking and discussing topics of interest in rapid motion. 

Gellert stood as well, interlacing fingers with the boy next to him, whom he then smiled very deeply at. 

Aunt Honoria positively beamed at him. 

“I haven’t seen mother yet?” said Albus, now giving her a very sorrowful look. 

“She’s stable” said his aunt, going grim again “and she of course, is not going anywhere too soon … so go home and get some rest” she added softly, reaching outwards to grip his shoulder firmly in reassurance, “she’ll be waiting for you when you come …”

Albus briefly abandoning Gellert’s hand, moved forward and hugged her once more. 

“Thank you” he said softly into her ear.

“Anytime my darling” she said sniffly back at him, “You just give me the word and I’ll be here, I know how to use an iPhone now” she added with a hint of glee. 

Albus laughed softly, then released her. 

His boyfriend then stepped forward to him once more and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. 

“Home” Gellert commanded softly, leaning down to kiss him gently on the side of his forehead, earning a firm nod of approval from Aunt Honoria. 

~

The motorbike ride took seemingly no time at all and with Bathilda still not home from dropping Minerva off, the two boys dragged their feet into the dark household, not bothering to turn on any lights. From there they moved in a steady pace down the hallway and up the stairs into Gellert’s room. It was there Gellert lifted his boyfriend up from off the ground and placed him down gently and softly on the bed, as he himself, laid down beside him. 

“You’re my whole world now” he said to the boy softly, caressing the side of his face. 

“You are as well” said Albus smiling at him, “… and so is my mother, and my sister, and my …”

He paused for a couple of seconds, feeling suddenly very sad,

“… my brother” he added, quietly. 

“A couple of days” Gellert reminded him firmly. 

“I know” said Albus sighing, “I know …”

Gellert smiled at him reassuringly and leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips. He then, almost in a way of making up for the lost time earlier in the day, very gently and carefully laid himself on top of the other boy. It wasn’t passion nor lust motivating him in this moment, it was care, support and something else much stronger. Something that he felt for the other boy and that he needed to express; and Albus despite all the drama of that day, found it was something he also felt, and further needed to obtain. Therefore, when Gellert made to gently remove his clothes, one after the other, softly kissing the skin underneath, he in his desire did very little to refuse him.

~

A couple of days passed and Albus had still not gone and seen his mother. He knew very well it was fear and guilt stopping him. Despite his previous advice to Gellert, not to dwell on such thoughts and emotions, he understood very well what he meant when he said that sometimes they just slip through. When such an occasion occurs, those negative thoughts and morbid feelings become very difficult not to focus on and this was something he was discovering more and more with each passing hour. Would she feel his presence there and despise him, loathe him, blame him? The second reason, was that the day after returning home from the hospital, he had been sat within the coverings of Gellert’s bed, sipping tea and perusing through all his missed messages on his now fully charged phone, that had been brought back to life with the charger Bathilda had given him (not before scolding Gellert for having allowed his own to get lost). Ashamedly, he deleted all the angry voice messages from Aberforth, worried texts from Minerva and had afterwards come across an extraordinarily large voicemail from his mother. Seeing the length of the recording on his phone, made his stomach drop before he had even heard it. Anxiously he put his phone back away and stared contemplatively out Gellert’s window with a mixture of both horror and dread. He knew he couldn’t avoid it forever, but in taking things in baby steps, as his friend always encouraged him to do, he firmly decided that the pathway back to his mother would have to come after he had made peace with his brother. He knew it would be ineffective trying to do both emotionally difficult tasks at the same time; and determined as he was now, to be the in control and managing of himself and his family’s situation, he knew it best to deal with each one at time. Taking those baby steps would allow his strength, resilience and capability, which he was now at last discovering, to be properly and effectively utilized. So, putting faith in that method, this was how he chose to move forward. 

That’s what he reminded himself in his head anyway a few days later when hand in hand with Gellert, he walked back up the street in the direction of the house he had now not seen in a few days. 

“Are you ok?” Gellert said to him for what was possibly the fourth time that morning. 

“Yes” said Albus thickly, “He’s my brother …” he added, in a way of encouraging his own ability to handle it. 

Gellert frowned deeply but said nothing. In taking the role of being his boyfriend’s support rather than his savour, it was his now proper place to allow him to reign over such situations. So, despite how adverse they might be and how uncertain he felt about them, he had to give him the opportunity to try. He allowed himself to be distracted by the fact that he also had a relationship problem to deal with. He had tried the day after the hospital visit to call his best friend, but she confirmed bitterly that she was upset and didn’t wish to speak to him. Making her therefore, yet another person he’d managed to piss off within a reasonably short space of time. But this feud was one he definitely did not want dragged out. Already he missed her - and he needed her! even if sometimes, especially recently - he could admit to forgetting that. 

~

\- Earlier that day - 

“So, whilst you’re sorting things with your brother, I’ll be distracting Vinda away from you both” he confirmed confidently, with half his body hanging out from the dusty underneath of his bed.

“and how are you going to do that?” asked his boyfriend, who was watching him amused from where he sat cross legged on his desk chair. 

“Laughter, memories, bonding and understanding” said Gellert confidently, finally seeing amongst boxes and other crap he kept under his bed, the item which he was looking for. 

He then shuffled back out and held up the item in a ‘Taa-Daa’ sort of style to his other half. 

Albus blinked at the item, then quirked his lips in amusement. 

“Another talent of yours?” he asked his boyfriend dotingly.

“Not at all” said Gellert, in matter of fact tone, “But definitely one of hers, yes”

He then popped the skateboard on the ground of his bedroom floor, where he successfully, but rather ungracefully, managed to do an ollie. 

Albus was entertained, but his aunt from the room underneath wasn’t.

“Again Gellert! not in the house!” she yelled up through the floorboards, making Albus laugh and Gellert scowl. 

~

Vinda had been living in the Dumbledore household over the last couple of days and within that space of time, her boyfriend had scarcely moved from his bed. She had seen him angry - yes, she had seen him downcast – yes, had she ever seen him depressed and unable to move – no. She rang up the pub declining his shifts for him and thankfully for her, the kind woman she remembered to be named Rosmerta, sympathised and understood. 

“Tell him to take all the time he needs” she said to her kindly over the phone, “His job will be waiting for him once things at home settle”

“Thank you” she said in a shaky voice back to her, “and have a nice day …”

She put her phone back away and stared glumly at her boyfriend. Opening his eye’s slightly, he gazed blank faced back at her. 

“You’re still here?” he softly. 

She smiled at him. 

“Yes … same as yesterday, and the day before that, unless you dearly want me too, I’m not going anywhere, didn’t I tell you once that you never need ask for my company or support ever?” she added, moving across the room to lay down next to him on his bws. 

There they stayed for the passing of minutes, with Vinda smiling, a particular sort of smile at the boy and he feeling confused, but all the while comforted, reached up to stroke her arm. 

“You still see something in me, after all this?” he asked her disbelievingly. 

“Yes Mon Amour” she said firmly, “I do …”

“Why?” he then asked her, a slight twinge of exasperation in his voice that shone through despite his current downtrodden and emotionally wrecked state. 

“Because you are the bravest boy I’ve ever met ..." she said softly, "also one of the most responsible, most selfless and most caring, the way I've seen you be there for your family?… attraction is not always broad shoulder, strong arms and nice eye’s you know … I care about you the same way you care deeply for those whom you love the most,” she confessed to him. 

He scoffed a little, though smiled very weakly at her. 

“Would you every punch me in the nose?” he now asked, looking disheartened once more. 

Brushing past her discomfort, she smiled sympathetically at him. 

“No” she admitted, “But with you that’s something else we can work on, every tiny but manageable thing we must can do to make those pieces of you whole again, that is if you still trust me …”

“I’ve trusted no one more” he admitted warmly, pulling her in towards him as she beamed and cradled herself into his chest. It was unfortunately a moment shortly lived as the two were both interrupted by the presence of two people, that could be heard entering the house from downstairs. 

~

Albus used his key to allow both himself and Gellert inside. If the home had a strange melancholy and emptiness before, it was certainly no closer to feeling cheerful and comforting, now that it had the dreadful absence of his mother and sister to add to it. He had considered making his way around the household in search of his brother, when his thoughts were interrupted by footsteps coming from the level above them. Wearing the same clothes, he had seen her wear at the hospital, Vinda emerged onto the staircase, her eyes widening slightly at his nose, though she replaced it very quickly with a soft and concerned expression. 

“Are you ok?” she asked empathetically, coming all the way down the staircase so to give him a hug. 

“Yes” he said softly back at her, “I’m ok … where is he?” he then added.

She frowned deeply and motioned towards the direction of the staircase. 

Albus nodded, then left her and his boyfriend in the hallway, as he proceeded to make his slowly way up the stairs. 

~

“We should give them some space” said Gellert pointedly at Vinda.

If was then she finally and resentfully acknowledged his presence. Taking one look at him and one look at his skateboard, she then rolled her eye’s

“Really …” she drawled at him, giving him a mocking expression, that couldn’t quite contain her amusement.

“Yes” said Gellert firmly, “I think we need some time as well” he added meaningfully, whilst giving her an earnest look. 

Vinda gazed at him for a moment, then smiled 

“Ok” she said gratefully, allowing herself to be guided out the front door and down the outside front stairs. 

“Race you to the skatepark” Gellert than rang out gleefully, jumping on the board and streaking away up the pavement, in the direction of Abbeville Road.

“Gellert you absolute shit!!!” she bellowed out ballistically, racing as fast as she could in her Dr Martens boots to catch up with him. 

~

Taking a deep breath and swallowing his nerves, Albus tapped a couple of times on white painted door to his brother’s bedroom. When he heard no response on the other side, he slowly and hesitantly cleared his throat. 

“Abe it’s –“

“I know it’s you” a voice snarled from the other side of the door. 

Albus swallowed once more. 

“Well can I come in?” he then asked in a measured voice

There was silence for a few moments, followed by shuffling, then heavy steps and suddenly the door swung open, revealing the face of his tall younger brother. 

If Albus believed his own current appearance, with his patched-up nose was short of accommodating, then his younger brothers’ was certainly not feigning much better. This was in fact the most tired and frail he had ever seen him. His shaggy dark blonde hair was tussled, in a way of suggesting he hadn’t brushed it in days and his skin was an unordinary pale colour. He was looking at him like someone who was completely beyond the point of trying anymore and for Albus; this made his newfound, feeling of strength and determination within him, erupt once more. 

“We need to talk” is what he then said to the younger boy, firmly and without even a trace of intimidation, self-doubt or uncertainty, “between you and me, there is so much we need to discuss” …


	20. Ties that keep us bound.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Most important chapter so far ...
> 
> Also the most exhausting to write being there is so much emotion here. 
> 
> and its long
> 
> But I hope everyone enjoys reading it <3

20\. Ties that keep us bound

Aberforth stared his patched-up brother up and down, then sighing, he pushed past him on his way down to the kitchen. Brushing unkept hair out of his eye’s, he reached into one of the kitchen cupboards for a glass that he then filled with water from the kitchen sink. He gulped it down like someone whom had just reached an oasis, after a long and tiring trek though the desert. He placed the glass under the sink once more and topped it up, blatantly ignoring the presence of his brother who had steadily entered into the room behind him. After a some more saturation, he at last turned tired and somewhat bored eyes towards the other boy. 

“Where do you wish to start then?” he drawled, moving forward to take a seat at the kitchen table and resting his head tiredly in his hands. 

“Well” said Albus calmly, reaching to pull out a chair as well, so he could sit down opposite him, “There’s Ariana …” he began cautiously, looking closely at Aberforth and seeing he hadn’t moved, nor even flinched, continued on –

“Yesterday I signed a form that will allow her to be transferred to the adolescent mental health ward at St Thomas Hospital” he said slowly and flinching a little himself as Aberforth’s head rapidly shot up, “It was within her wishes, as well as being the option that the medical professional’s at Chelsea and Westminster recommend is best for her and her current condition” he added as diplomatically as he could. 

“You’re sending our sister to an asylum?” Aberforth snapped accusingly at his brother. 

“Not an asylum Aberforth” said Albus patiently, “Those horrible places don’t exist anymore … it’s a ward in a hospital, like those that treat patients with cancer and those that treat people with liver disease, - only this one specialises in helping people who are psychologically unwell” 

Aberforth gave his brother a look of deep loathing. 

“Funny isn’t it” he began in a poisonous tone of voice, “That the person whom cared the least about her and was the most uninterested, is now the one making these decisions” he added severely. 

“That’s not true Aberforth” said Albus quietly 

“Really” said Aberforth darkly, leaning forward across the table so that the two were now in close face to face contact, but despite the intimidating gesture, Albus did move and continued to stare firmly back at him.

“Taking on more tutoring then needed, hiding up in your room and now this” his brother said icily to him, “Disappearing without even giving us a hint as to where you had gone or if you were even planning on coming back, do you think that’s taking an interest in our sister’s wellbeing healthcare needs?”

“I made a mistake” said Albus guiltily, “I am sorry” he added, making his brother scoff viciously at him

“- and as for the extra tutoring and hiding up in my room?” he continued on determinedly, “We’ve been through this plenty of times already! … I’m working on assignments and earning extra credit and money, which is what mother asked me to do during this period” he further protested

“She asked you to tutor one or two nights a week” said Aberforth hotly, “The decision to take on more was your own because you didn’t want to be home …” he added savagely, shooting daggers at the other boy.

Beginning to feel a similar surge of anger and resentment, the older retaliated -

“Do you really blame me” he said coldly, “Or are you so stubborn and pigheaded that you refuse to see how hard this has been for me as well? …” he added, glaring furiously younger brother.

“Yes it’s all about you Albus” snarled Aberforth sarcastically, “Our whole life up until now, all about you! - your achievements, your brains, your success, even when our sister gets attacked and father gets sent to prison, IT STILL SOMEHOW MANAGES TO BE ALL ABOUT YOU!” he now shouted, slamming his fist down on the table and making the other jump. 

“What you did the last two days, is the most selfish thing you’ve ever done!” he continued on fiercely, “I mean … who apart from that idiot and perhaps Ms Bagshot, knew where you were or whether or not you were safe? absolutely no one! - well at least not one of us anyway” he added ballistically. 

A silence fell across the table then and Aberforth just for something to do, drunk more water, whilst Albus sunk down low in his seat. 

“I’m sorry” he repeated thickly. 

“Do you really hate us all that much?” Aberforth spat out savagely, slamming his glass down once more and sending liquid flying across the table. 

“No!” said Albus horrified, “Absolutely not”

“Then why have you been wanting to run away?” his brother now desperately urged, “Why did you?”

“BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID!” Albus now shouted, loosing himself completely, “I did not want any of that! I didn’t want the extra attention! I didn’t want all that focus, and I certainly didn’t want mother to become more regimented of me on account of Ariana. You stubbornly seem to think that I bask in all that ridiculousness and you have never once, not once! - ever attempted to even try and see my side of things! and you hating me, on top of mother being like that … It honestly made me feel like I was trapped Aberforth! wasting away …” 

Albus took a couple of deep breaths to steady himself. 

“- Then of course, he came along” he now added softly, turning to gaze out the window as his brother glared at him more ferociously than ever. 

“Do you know why mother is so strict with you?” the boy then asked his older brother angrily, “Because you’re an airhead that’s why! … the kind that blindly allows people like him into your life, without comprehensive thought or judgement and you’re supposed to be the smart one in the family!” he scoffed, rolling his eyes a little, “I suppose you’ve forgotten all about Tristian …”

“What do you mean?” Albus asked, turning his attention back towards him and gazing at him puzzled.

He was referring of course to an older boy at their private high school, whom had taken an odd interest in Albus at one point, then completely ceased speaking after a couple of months. Albus still to this day did not know why? and at the time, he was very upset and hurt by it. Being Tristian was the first person Albus’ had ever crushed on and being as young as he was at the time, he was naïve enough to think that the boy had genuinely liked him back, 

‘Though as it seems, that was never the case …’ he then thought vaguely to himself. 

“Tristian” Aberforth replied icily, breaking his thought pattern, “The boy who spent a couple of months wooing you and then came very close to outing your sexuality to the whole school by graffitiing it on the wall of the science building. That was until I beat the living daylights out of him and spent most of that night using paint thinner to take it off … That Tristian!! The first person I’ve ever defended you against and not the last! all because you're oblivious! It’s really surprising in a way that it was Ariana who ended up getting assaulted and not you …”

Traffic on Abbeville road could now be heard due to how horribly quiet the kitchen had become. In fact, if frog croaked from the pond in the nearby park, that might have been heard as well.

“Is that how …?” Albus began stammering 

“I found out you were gay?” said Aberforth bitterly, finishing his sentence for him, “Yes”

…

“I had no idea” said Albus, very upset. 

“No, of course not” said Aberforth lofty, “Because you live in a fantasy world, say you actually did end up in Cambodia this year, what then would have happened? … mother doesn’t know about Tristian obviously, but she knows you … and that’s why she is the way she is! and whilst you are the way you are! you remain her focus opposed to Ariana, who has been strongly needing her support and attention lately” he added bitterly, glaring at his brother, who stared timidly back at him

“- You’re supposed to be our older brother!” he continued on angrily, “In father’s absence you’re supposed to be the one responsible and in control, only you’re not … you’re you! and instead of helping with Ariana, you avoid us and then you run off with him! another cruel and manipulative boy whose looks you cannot seem to get past in order to see what he is truly like underneath” 

“No, you’re wrong” said Albus sharply defending himself, “That’s not why I like Gellert and that is not what he is like as a person!”

Once more, his brother scoffed loudly and took another long gulp of his water. 

“Even though Vinda says he wouldn’t have done it, he threatened to get me fired from my job if I didn’t get you to the pub that night, - you do remember me telling you that don’t you?” asked Aberforth him coldly. 

“Yes” said Albus patiently, “I am aware he can be manipulative and reckless”

“Then do you know why he showed up on this street 3 years ago and hasn’t been home since?” said Aberforth seriously, “or how about why he got expelled? or literally anything else he’s done? … perhaps kidnapped you and made you believe it was something you wanted” he added as a nasty afterthought. 

“No Aberforth I left” said Albus firmly, “I’ve owned up to that and apologized for it! It was me who went through with that decision, it was me who made that selfish choice … I thought he’d write me a note saying where we had gone, but then that was me not taking control of the situation as you just said. I am coming to terms with a lot of my own faults lately, of which that is one” he added with the best display of confidence he could muster, “and Gellert also has faults, but he isn’t a bad person! - yes he is reckless, yes he is sporadic and rebellious, but he has a strong heart and is the first person in my life I feel truly understands me” he now added, with a genuine air of sadness.

“I used to” said Aberforth quietly, “Before you started keeping your bedroom door locked on me that is …”

More horrible silence fell across the table, this time if the frog croaked, the sound would echo off the walls.

“You were my best friend” Aberforth admitted, “No person in the world, not mother, nor Gellert will ever hold your favour the way I did … you were my hero! and it hurt me a lot” he added, now looking genuineally upset

“I never wanted to get separated from you or my sister” said Albus, equally upset, “Mother was pushing me into study and it just became a lifestyle to me, but like I said before I never wanted it! … surely you must understand that” he added pleadingly. 

“I guess there was a part of me, that was forever hoping that you might one day stand up to her” said Aberforth resentfully, “But you never did and that anger and hurt just got worse and worse over time the more distant you became, when Gellert said you wanted to run away … that really hurt as well!”

“I’m sorry Aberforth” Albus pleaded again, “I really, really am! if it’s any consultation I’m trying to change, I stood up to Gellert yesterday, today is now me trying to stand up to you!” he added with a derisive laugh

Aberforth raised his eyebrows at him

“You stood up to Gellert yesterday?” he asked, completely ignoring the latter half of Albus’ comment. 

Albus blinked

“Yes” he replied cautiously, “For taking my phone off me which made me miss all your calls, I’m not completely helpless you know” he then added, rolling his own eye’s and making Aberforth smile a little a him. 

“But you’ve hurt me as well” Albus said now just as firmly, “For taking your anger out on me, when you could have at least tried talking to me about how I was making you feel” 

“and you could have spoken to mother” Aberforth added loftily, “so touché …”

“No not touché! this is between you and me, not the two of us and mother. You said it yourself, I am your older brother, I didn’t deserve to be treated in a way that is so unfair and unreasonable. Empathy goes a long way in relationships and whilst I’ve retained some for you, you’ve given me none whatsoever!” he said to his younger brother harshly

“Fine” Aberforth snapped, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry for not attempting to see your side of things, I just wish you could be a stronger person, that’s all”

“But I am who I am Aberforth and though I have faults I am trying to work through, I cannot remanufacture my entire personality simply to suit you and the way you think I ought to be” Albus argued back,

“I don’t want you to change your personality! I just don’t want you disappearing from my life! – which is my biggest fear above all else, whether it be with study commitments, you running away, or getting yourself in a bad situation with the wrong person, I just want you here with us! in control and responsible, that’s all I am asking you to do!” his brother bellowed out ballistically, then going pink by his own emotionally driven outburst

Albus blinked dumbfoundedly at him, then similarly went pink as well.

“Who am I actually neglecting here, Ariana or you?” asked Albus faintly, gazing meaningfully at his younger brother, who didn’t answer him, rather turned away embarrassed as Albus smiling softly, respectfully gazed his eyes away as well. 

The two boys were then quiet for a time, a silence that was broken by Aberforth slumping down in his chair and sighing loudly. 

“Everything is a mess, isn’t it?” he asked quietly, looking gloomily over at their broken oven. 

“Yes” said Albus just as softly as him, but in feeling his own strength and determination being instinctively kicked in by his brother’s defeated attitude, he opposed to him, sat up straighter in his chair. 

“- But like an exploding oven, the mess can be cleaned, and the broken parts fixed” he added encouragingly, with a kind smile at the other boy. 

Aberforth turned dismally back towards him. 

“How are we going to fix this?” he asked his older brother dejectedly.

“Baby steps” said Albus confidently, “Nothing straight away and nothing overnight …”

“- and where do you suppose we start?” his brother asked, raising an eyebrow at him once more. 

“We start with you and me” answered Albus determinedly, “There’s no point in fixing other things, until we’re first fixed ourselves, let’s start with you and me fixing our relationship with one another?”

Aberforth stared at his brother sadly, but Albus’ not giving up, continued –

“Most of our issues so far, have come due to us not communicating with nor understanding each other, let’s start with changing that … deal”? he added firmly, raising a hand towards his brother. 

After a few more moments of silence, Aberforth sighing, gave his brother an accepting nod. 

“Deal” he said gruffly, accepting the handshake. 

The two boys then sat smiling weakly at each other.

“I’m sorry I broke your nose” Aberforth now said miserably, “Mother warned me that I might go too far one day, like father did … and she was right, I hit the wrong person” he added bitterly, “It should have been your boyfriend …”

“It shouldn’t have been anyone Aberforth!” said Albus seriously, “If I am to start standing up for myself and being more responsible and in control of situations, you need to start getting your violent streak under control” 

“I know …” said Aberforth quietly, “Vinda says so …”

Albus smiled at him amused

“Well I’m glad she’s someone you listen to” he added teasingly, as his brother shot him a warning look. 

They stared at each other a bit more, before breaking into soft, gentle laughter. 

“You know” Albus now said thoughtfully, “You said this rift between us all started when I began locking my bedroom door, what did we used to do together before that?” he added raising his own eyebrow, in a suggestive sort of way. 

Aberforth blinked at him 

“You read Ariana and I books” he said slowly, trying to gasp his brother’s subliminal suggestion

“and …?” Albus pressed him gently. 

Aberforth blinked again, then catching on, he smiled widely. 

“You’re on!” he said wickedly, getting up from his chair and moving swiftly out the room, grabbing both his key’s and his light jacket in his wake. 

Albus smiling broadly as well, followed him out the front door and down the stairs. There Aberforth unlocked his bike from its chain and pedalled it out onto the street, with Albus right behind him. He stood the bike still for a moment, allowing Albus to stand himself up on the rests and satisfied that his brother was secure and steady, he then jumped onto the seat and rode them off, Albus laughed and cheered lightly as the two of them sped round the corner and continued on down the wider road. 

~

“This is a waste of time actually” Vinda complained, after the two of them had finally made it to Clapham Common skatepark, “I can’t ride a skateboard in these boots” she added staring glumly down at her Dr Martens. 

“Then take them off” said Gellert, rolling his eyes at her. 

“and ruin my pedicure” she gasped, giving him a scandalised look. 

“Leave your socks on” he added patiently, giving her a small smirk from the corner of his lips.

Smiling slightly, she then with a ‘huff’ made to remove her heavy-set boots. Gellert smiled wickedly and giving her the board, scooted himself up to the top of the half pipe to watch the show. 

Vinda was as impeccable on a board as she was on a bass guitar; and as smooth sailing on the concrete slopes as she was with the up’s and downs of life! No challenge to great! no hazard to difficult to expertly jump over. He had always admired her for that and tried desperately hard as he could to be like that himself. Though lately he’d hit a few bumps that had knocked him off his own board and flat onto his back, the injury involved and difficulty getting back up was a reminder of just how flawed he was, unlike her who very rarely fell down … until she did! being that the lack of skate shoes certainly does make the process more difficult and she tripped a little off her board, then down one of the slopes. Alarmed, he abruptly shot up and raced across the park frantically towards her. 

“Shit Meine Liebe, are you ok?” he asked distressfully, pulling her back up on to her feet. With was then with further alarm, he noticed small tears in the corner of her eyes. 

“Yeah” she said bitterly, wiping them away, “I’m ok”

He gazed down at her sincerely

“You’re not really though are you” he quietly. 

She looked up at him with tearful eye’s and truthfully shook her head.

“It’s been an emotionally difficult couple weeks” she confessed thickly to him. 

“Come on” he urged, guiding her over to the top of the half pipe, where the two then sat in simultaneous contemplation. 

Gellert breathed in deeply and gazed wistfully up at the sky, today it was cloudy, go figure …

“It’s hard being in this place” said Vinda softly, turning her attention away from her scratched knee, towards him. 

“What place is that?” he asked softly, turning to meet her gaze. 

“A place where I for the first time in a while, I feel completely out of control with everything” she confessed, looking away again, “That family has been testing me in that way, normally everything seems simple and easy, but with them it’s not and I feel like I’m trying hard as I can to assist and all that seems to be occurring, is my own ongoing realisation and admittance to myself, that I am not as confidence and assured as I sometimes make myself out to be …”

Gellert gazed at her astonished, then smiled weakly. 

“I know exactly what you mean?” he admitted with genuine empathy, having experienced a similar occurrence himself. 

“and in the meantime, …” said Vinda turning a strong gaze back towards her best friend, “In amongst all that uncertainly, I always thought you and I were solid … that you were my rock?” she added resentfully. 

“Aren’t I?” he questioned her apprehensively,

“I’m learning things about you too” said Vinda quietly, “I shouldn’t ever have to learn truths about my best friend from other people, I had no idea about your depression …”

Gellert was quiet for a couple of moments, though realising and remembering it was better to be straightforward about his weaknesses rather than dishonest and secretive, he spoke truthfully to her -

“I was scared of you judging me” he said to her quietly, “I had no friends or family at the time I met you, only my aunt and you were this nice, awesome chick who was suddenly there and the coolest, most confident person I’d ever met, I didn’t want to appear less than you and then three years occurred and I was really happy, so I didn’t think at any point during that time it was worth really mentioning”

“Well …” said Vinda slowly, her lips quirking a little, “while we are on the topic, I considered you to be this sleek, assured, cheeky and influential guy, one who was fast obtaining a following of admirers at uni, so therefore … I always thought it was me sucking it up to you!” she added with a small grin, which like a set of traffic lights going green, turned just as quickly into a sad frown. 

“- but I still thought I knew pretty much everything about you” she added quietly, “I guess in the way that you didn’t realise I was deep down insecure, I never realised just how much your previous trauma really impacted you?” 

“So, what kind of friends does that make us?” Gellert asked her with a weak, bittersweet smile. 

“Fake loser friends” she said desolately back to him, to which he sighed deeply in response. 

“Yeah” he confessed mournfully and the two were quiet again for a moment, both watching a couple of 10-year old’s riding scooters up and down some nearby slopes. 

“But you ARE my best friend!” Gellert reassured her, “Just because I didn’t tell you about that, doesn’t mean I didn’t tell you the truth about many other things; - Mint Choc Chip is my favourite ice-cream flavour, David Bowie in the Labyrinth was my first celebrity crush, if I could restate world order and rid governments of greed driven politicians and replace them with compassionate, environmentally friendly leaders, I would! My reason for expulsion was true, as was my disownment from my parents. It’s just the stuff that made me look weak and inferior, that I didn’t tell you about, everything else I did!” he added pleadingly

“Then why didn’t you tell me that you were planning to try and take Albus away” she now said furiously “I could have told you otherwise …”

“Maybe that was my fear” he argued reasonably with her. 

“Common sense?” she questioned loftily

“No, truth and harsh reality” Gellert corrected, “Like I said, I’m learning things about myself lately as well …”

“- and you’ve been disappearing, not just literally like within the last two days but figuratively as well” she confirmed bitterly to him, “Lately with the stress of both Abeforth and Ariana, I’ve been really needing you … and you haven’t been around! so long as Albus is there, it’s as if no one else is” she then added resentfully ..

“I’m sorry” he said to her honestly and placing an arm around her shoulders, “Another thing I’ve learnt lately is that I’m controlling and possessive, leaving him alone to sort out his issues with his brother, is also me trying to take a step back and change that”

“Obsessive I think is the word you’re looking for” she said to him bluntly. 

“All of the above” he admitted with a bitter laugh, “In other words I’m a complete emotional train wreck, remind me again why I am your friend?”

“Because I love you” she said softly, turning back towards him and now smiling weakly, “and I don’t want our friendship getting ruined by our relationships, and that’s not just Albus, that’s Aberforth as well, it’s hard being stuck between two well-meaning people who hate one another”

“I don’t hate him” said Gellert patiently, “I rarely hate anyone … I just hate his judgemental stick-in-the-mud attitude and the way he treats his brother” he added darkly, 

“I suppose that’s understandable” she agreed, “But he really is a good guy Gellert! he tries so hard to be there for his family and is very protective of them, he’s responsible and gentle, these are the things I see that you don’t” 

Gellert scoffed and Vinda responded by glaring at him. 

“Can you please try harder with him! if not for yourself or Albus, then at least for me and my sake?” she added desperately. 

Gellert sniffed loudly, then sighed. 

“Yes” he confirmed defeatedly, “I can, and I will, for you … because I love you too” he added, giving her a meaningful look. 

His friend blinked a couple of times, then smiled softly.

“Good” she said warmly, kissing him on the cheek.

Smiling contently, they both turned back to watch the 10-year old’s who had now moved on from the stairs and were dangerously attempting the rails.

“I’m sorry” repeated, sadly to her. 

“You’re forgiven” she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“You know” said Gellert to her gently, “Right now, how about you and I make a friendship pact? – no more secrets from each other, no more absences and no more letting boys come between us!”

Vinda looked up at him and beamed.

“That sounds like a great pact” she said happily, grabbing his pinky finger with her own. 

“So, since we can’t currently skateboard, what else did we do together before we got boyfriends?” said Gellert giving her cheeky, trouble making sort of look. 

“Hmmm” she murmured thoughtfully, then frowned suddenly as something within her brain now rapidly clicked. 

“Write songs …” she said loudly, making her friend jump and the 10-year old’s turn startled faces in her direction. 

“Christ” said Gellert just as flabbergasted, “We have a goddamn band! And we have nothing anything for it in the last two weeks” he then added incredulously, 

“Exactly” said Vinda, now moving to stand up, “Fuck we’re got material to produce! and gigs to organise and there is so much inspiration we have to use!” she added clapping her hands together. 

“We’ll grab a packet of Red Bulls” said Gellert standing up as well, “Go back to the Dumbledore house and there we can get started on some new stuff” he added gleefully. 

“What are we thinking, in terms of motivation for each new song?” said Vinda eagerly, sitting herself back down, so to slide herself down the half pipe. 

“So – many things” said Gellert with a huff, as he instead leapt down and landed harshly on his feet, “Like you said, so much to add in from the events of lately” he added excited, standing up straight and brushing down his pants. 

“The ties that keep us bound, friendships and family” Vinda agreed making her way out of the concrete area towards the soft green grass. 

“Growing up” Gellert added with a nod of approval and following her close by 

“The true meaning of freedom” Vinda inserted

“Learning life’s harsh lessons” Gellert commented, though somewhat dejectedly. 

Vinda then stopped and grabbed both his hands in her own, from there she looked very at him deeply. 

“Falling in love” she said to him softly,

Gellert eyes widened and he smiled in an understanding and knowing way back at her. 

“Falling deeply in love” he corrected her gently. 

She smiled empathetically back at him, then turned and took a few purposely large steps forward. 

“Race you to the Dumbledore home” she called sassily over her shoulder and being the faster and lighter of the two, she then sped away easily from her best friend, heading back towards the chimney head row of terrace houses, that lay beyond the tree tops of the park. 

“Oh haha!” he shouted sarcastically racing on heel and foot to catch up with her. 

From behind them, one of the 10-year old kids didn’t do so well on the rail and stacked it heavily against the concrete. It would be one of the many more times that young person would fall down in life, as the older two now both knew and furthermore accepted with regards to themselves. 

~

“No, I don’t like these ones” said Aberforth pulling a face, as he sucked on one of the sweets that came out of Albus’ packet. 

“Are you kidding?” said Albus, shooting disappointed look at him, “They’re the best sweets ever!” he then added happily, picking out one of the yellow sweets himself, that he popped in his mouth sucked with a dream like expression. 

“No” Aberforth disagreed, “Too hard … you know me, I like sweets that you can chew on” 

“Yes, you’re impatient” Albus commented teasingly, “But like this view, it’s nice to stop and really properly absorb the sweet things in life every so often, don’t you agree?” he added with a nod towards the eager tourists taking photos nearby . 

The two boys had ridden the bike so far, they had made it all the way to Westminster bridge. There on the stone wall a little away from the crowds of people, they sat eating sweets on the opposite side of the river to the Place of Westminster, which stood dazzling in the late afternoon sun behind them. Very suddenly Big Ben chimed 4:00pm, taking Albus completely off guard and making him choke on his Sherbet Lemon. 

“What have we been be talking about all afternoon?” said Aberforth, rolling his eyes as he slapped him on the back, “- About you being oblivious and unaware, if it’s not some good looking boy, it’s a piece of boiled sugar making you go off into a dreamland” he added loftily. 

“Sorry, I sometimes forget that thing tells the time” said Albus thickly, regaining his breath. 

Aberforth laughed heartedly, then reached into the bag choosing another sweet for himself. 

“So, this hospital?” he then commented, turning his attention away from the tourist landmark and staring up at the hospital on the other side of them. 

“Yes” Albus confirmed softly, “Gellert’s Aunt Bathilda has a friend who works there, a psychologist Ariana is eager on seeing, one of the reasons she herself wants to go”

“Well so long as it really is what she wants as well” Aberforth agreed, chewing away furiously at his sweet, “Do you think it’ll help her?” he then asked, somewhat cynically. 

“Yes” Albus assured, confidently challenging his brothers doubts, “Bathilda says it’s helped a lot of teenagers in the past and with Ariana’s own determination, yes … I really do believe it can and may be the right outside support she’s been needing”

“I like Bathilda” Aberforth admitted, “She seems like a really caring woman; and someone who really has her shit together” he added admiringly. 

“She is” said Albus with equal admiration, “You asked about Gellert leaving his home country earlier? it’s because his own parents disowned him, Bathilda took him in and helped him get back on his feet, she’s a wonderful woman” he added softly.

“Why did they disown him?” said Aberforth now frowning deeply at his brother, “What did he do?”

“He made a mistake” said Albus gently, “Sometimes in life that happens … to all of us” he then added pointedly. 

Aberforth went silent, chewing away at his sweet whilst lost in deep thought. Finally, he swallowed it and turned to stare very seriously at his brother. 

“Does that idiot make you happy?” he asked him firmly.

Albus blinked at him.

“Yes” - 

“More importantly, does he make you sad and angry?” Aberforth then asked, his eyebrows raising. 

Albus looked suspiciously at him. 

“Yes, sometimes” he replied cautiously 

“Then that’s good” said Aberforth satisfied, “It’s reassuring to know your judgement of him is not so clouded and that you can’t see his faults”

“No one’s perfect Aberforth” Albus protested. 

“You are” he softly, gazing at him, with a somewhat sad expression. 

The other boy blinked and stared bewilderedly right back at him.

“I mean” Aberforth counteracted, “Most of the time … not the times when you can’t stand up for yourself against mother, not the times you’re oblivious to danger, nor the times you avoid us and defiantly not the times you worry us all to death” he added, rolling his eyes again. 

Albus sighed sadly. 

“I’m not a perfect person at any point, in any given moment” said he firmly, “I have plenty of faults that with your help, I want to begin trying to work on, should you also allow me to help you work on yours?”

Aberforth didn’t say anything, rather directed his gaze across the river once more and continued to look expressionlessly at the monumental building, very unlike the nearby tourist’s whom were regarding it with intense fascination. Albus gazed not it, but at his brother, in a way an understanding and concerned older sibling would look at their troubled younger sibling and from there, he prodded on. 

“You know Aberforth, numbing the pain only makes it worse when you finally feel it, I want you to be more open with me, not bottle your anger up to the point that it explodes out in the wrong way” he then said to his younger brother gently, “Anytime either of us are sad, angry or generally not coping, we need to let each other know, it’s all part of this new trend of communicating with and understanding one another” he added, nodding in his direction.

Aberforth exhaled a little, but otherwise nodded himself in an agreement. 

“- and so long as I am able to see the vices I have, and Gellert’s as well, could you maybe, - at least for me! try to see and recognise some of his virtues as well?” he then asked his brother considerately, “He is a passionate person, who sees the joy and fun in life, he also has a great sense of humour and cares very deeply those he loves …” 

“- and he really loves you” Aberforth confirmed now, looking back at him with much more intense expression than he’d previous offered the building, “I know, I can see it” 

Taken back, Albus blushed a little. 

“I love him too” he confessed softly. 

“Then go be happy with him” said Aberforth with a grim nod, “I trust you … you have my personal support and blessing, not that you would have paid any attention to it anyway ...”

But to his shock, his brother then jumped forward and hugged him firmly. Smiling slightly and for a few seconds, not knowing what to do with his hands, he eventually placed them on Albus’ slim back and hugged him tightly in return. The two stayed like that for a bit, finding support and warmth in each other once more and for the first time in a very long time, which for Aberforth in particular, was a moment that couldn’t have come any soon enough. ‘I missed you so much’ was what he then thought to himself, allowing a small relieving tear to trickle down his face, as Albus sensing his unspoken confession, pulled away from him gently and smiled warmly up at him.

“I missed you as well”

With that, the two brothers returned to their bike and joyously rode off, leaving the gleaming Palace of Westminster and its eager admirers, behind them. 

“If we fall into the river, it’ll be your fault” Aberforth called up to his brother, “Don’t shift your weight too much!” he further protested, as Albus’ gripping his shoulder in one and hand and precious bag of sweet’s in the other, laughed happily in response. 

~

They arrived back at their home some time later, windswept, blissful and content. It was there they were not so fully surprised to find Gellert and Vinda, lying on the rug in the sitting room. Pondering over what appeared to be torn out journal paper, comprising of what looked like song lyrics alongside layers of sheet music, which the two had grabbed from Gellert’s room on their way back from the park. Albus cleared his throat and gazed down at the two fondly, whom having then broken abruptly out of some intense creative discussion, blinked dumbfoundedly back up at him. Vinda was the first to move, she stood up abruptly and moved swiftly over to Aberforth wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Aberforth smiled and kissed her on the cheek, before gently separating them. He then turned his firm attention towards the other person in the room. Gellert stood up as well but stayed rooted to the spot. The two boys stared each other down for a short while, putting the other two in a soft state of tension. It was then Aberforth who walked forward in the other’s direction and standing face to face with the boy in front of him, he gave him a meaningful sort of look, that Gellert responded to by smiling at him. Not his usual smirk, but rather one reflecting both gratitude and respect, that Aberforth returned as the two of them then did for the very first time something neither had ever done before and shook each other’s hands.

“Truce?” Aberforth asked Gellert meaningfully. 

“Truce” Gellert agreed, smiling in return. 

Albus beaming at them, wrapped an arm supportively around the shoulders of the girl next to him, who then suddenly burst into tears (they’d been building up over period of time now)

“You two are so stupid!” she bawled out emotionally, as Aberforth and Gellert stared bewilderedly at her and Albus laughing sympathetically, gripped her even tighter to him. 

~

There was still one more thing Albus needed to do. Sat nervously in the back of Bathilda’s car as she drove him, Gellert, Aberforth and Vinda back to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, it was what he was now on his way towards. 

After a quick check in on Ariana who was deeply asleep, the four of them, then made their way gradually up two levels and were guided by Aberforth into a room on the far corner of that particular floor. From the doorway there, he stood gazing at her. 

His mother had always been the most beautiful woman he’d ever known, even now as she lay rigid and unaware on the hospital bed, whilst machines beeped eerily around her. With fear and guilt setting in once more, he didn’t automatically proceed forward, but rather stood rooted to the spot, trembling. Suddenly a hand reached up to grasp his shoulder and expecting to see Gellert, he was surprised when he looked up and saw his brother. Aberforth smiled deeply down at him and gave him a firm, encouraging nod. Swallowing back his anxiety, he walked slowly forward into the room with his brother following closely behind him. Aberforth grabbed them a large cushioned chair from the corner, that he sat down on looking fearfully at his mother. As he did, his brother rested himself on the arm of the chair, beside him. 

“Do you think she knows we are here?” he then asked Bathilda, whom remained standing by the door with Gellert and Vinda. 

“I think so” she said to him kindly, “and I think she is also very happy that you are” 

Albus sniffed loudly, in a very shattered kind of way. 

“I don’t think she is” he replied back miserably

“Albus sweetheart, have you listened to your voicemail yet?” Bathilda prodded him gently. 

He looked up at her nervously. 

“No …” he admitted sheepishly. 

“Well then perhaps now is the time to” she encouraged, with a small nod. 

Albus looked from her to Gellert who smiled supportively at him, then sighing anxiously, he scrolled through his phone and pressed both ‘play’ and ‘loudspeaker’ on the voice message, as his brother gripped his shoulder firmly from beside him. 

~

“Darling … I realise you don’t want to talk to me right now and I understand … I really do, I’ve seen your email, I’ve spoken to Gellert’s aunt and I’ve… well … I’ve realised some things! things that were very unfortunately not within my focus until now”. 

(Albus took a deep breath and after a short pause, his mother continued on)

“You know I miss your father every day, he always knew the right way to reach out to you children, it’s a skill I’ve never been as good at, I’m reminded of that bitterly every day, through your Aunt’s disappointment, your brother’s anger, your sister’s fear, and now by you …”

(A longer pause now occurred, to which his brother squeezed his shoulder even tighter in a bid to stop him shaking)

“Had I known how to talk to you sooner, perhaps the need to run away from me would never have occurred and you’d be in my arms right now instead of god knows where. I hope he’s looking after you because I couldn’t forgive myself if he wasn’t. because you’re …”

(The voice on the loudspeaker began to break and the room occupiers stood in intense silence around the comatose women whose voice it belonged to)

“Because you’re my smart, beautiful, angelic little boy! … and you know I’ve always wanted what’s best for you! even if that didn’t come across the right way. Yes I took great pride in you and enjoyed having my friends dot on you, but it was never about that! not once … what I really wanted was for you to find confidence in yourself. I wanted to grow up strong and self-assured, living the best life possible for yourself, so that you’d be happy! It’s all I’ve ever wanted for each of you children. In our new situation I became even more desperate for that, but now I realise my methods were simply giving the wrong impression and driving you away from me. Making you feel trapped as you say in your email … I’m not supposed to be making you feel trapped, I’m supposed to making you feel nurtured and safe! I suppose that’s also what I’ve been doing wrong though isn’t it? … not allowing you your freedom to live your life on your own terms as a new and capable adult. Instead, I kept sheltering you, as I was too worried about you making the wrong decisions and getting hurt … but you ARE an adult Albus; and a very clever one at that, and if you come home soon, I’ll be sure to let you know, I’ll give you all of my trust, for real this time …”

(From beside where she lay, Albus began silently quietly crying)

“I hope that in time you can forgive me; and please know how much I love you, I love so, so much, and I am so sorry”

~

Albus removed himself from his brother’s grip and moved forward to lay himself across the still form of his mother. From there, he clutched onto her as tightly as possibly he could, given her delicate state. 

“I forgive you mother” he whispered tearfully, “and I am sorry as well”

Aberforth moved forward and placed his hand on his shoulder once more. 

“Me too” he said quietly, then turned to gaze meaningfully up at the other three within the room. 

“To all of you” he stated firmly, starting between his brother and them, as Vinda smiled broadly at him. 

“Me too” said Gellert, returning the sentiment. Aberforth nodded at him, before turning his attention back to his brother. 

“You see what I mean now” his aunt whispered softly to him, whilst gripping his arm and staring adoringly at the two brothers. 

“Yes” he replied softly back, “They’re not our family …”

“- and you have a new one now” Vinda added, grabbing his hand from the other side and smiling reverently at him. 

He shot her a look of deep gratitude in response. 

“That -” he admitted, turning his attention now back to his boyfriend, who wiping his eyes looked up at him and met his strong gaze. 

Gellert smiled

“and so much more …” 

~

The group left the hospital an hour or later. After a quick meal at Bathilda’s, Albus, Gellert, Aberforth and Vinda retired back to the Dumbledore household, where within the fridge Aberforth found a bottle of their mothers’ wine and poured them each a drink. 

“To mother” he said, raising his glass, “May she wake up and be with us again soon” … 

“To beautiful Ariana” Vinda added, holding up her own glass, “May she now find her way back to recovery”. 

Gellert then held up his glass and gazed meaningfully around at them. 

“To family” he said quietly, 

Albus gripped his hand in his own. 

“To hope, and starting again” he added, with a determined look at his brother, who nodded firmly back at him. 

The four then took to their glasses, Aberforth, Gellert and Vinda each drowning of theirs in one go, Albus taking one sip and frowning comically at the strong taste. 

“You don’t have to drink it” his brother said rolling his eyes at him, as the other two watched on amused. 

“No” said Albus, with strong and stubborn determination, “I’ve got this …”

At that, he then with a tonne of force, managed to scull each drop of the strong-tasting liquid in one go. 

“Aw, well done Liebling” said Gellert sweetly, “You did it!”

“Yep” said Aberforth settling his own glass back down, “and now he’s probably drunk …” he added, gazing warily at his brother, who stood swaying on the spot, smiling blissfully at nothing in particular … 

Being, what really came afterwards for Albus was not drunkenness, but a long-awaited sense of freedom. It was freedom that developed not from attending a rowdy live music gig and buying his first alcohol beverage, nor from riding on the back of a motorbike and swearing out loud. It didn’t relate to buying a rebellious piece of clothing, a working-class meal from a shabby takeaway, nor from having his first orgasm. Nor did it come from escaping away on a train and playing fully clothed in the sea. It was the sense of freedom comprised of nothing short other than him finally feeling at peace with world and most importantly, within himself. He had developed an understanding with his mother, amended broken ties with his brother, reconnected with his sister and had fallen for an imperfect boy, who loved and appreciated each and every honest part of him back; and with all of the above … he had found confidence on his own two feet and an inner strength that now radiated across every inch of him. Now when it came time for him to head out in the world (more rationally this time) he wouldn’t be doing it as a shy, introverted boy, whose life he let other’s decide for him, he would be doing it as his own confident, capable and withstanding person. 

‘Is this what it feels like, to really like one’s own self’?’ he thought idly as he lay in his boyfriends’ arms, in his own bed, in his own house, not long after. 

The house which he no longer felt trapped in. The house which now felt for him the way that it should … 

like a home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (i) The procreate image is Abe, being this chapter very much revolved around him. 
> 
> (i) I borrowed an actual Dumbledore quote for this chapter; - "Numbing the pain only makes it worse when you finally feel it" is said by him to Harry in book 4.


	21. The greatest thing that can happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> been really unwell lately, so this chapter is lagging behind a bit ...
> 
> It's basically a few small moments, leading up to some big moments next chapter.

21\. The greatest thing that can happen. 

3 months had passed since Albus had made resolution with the people and world around him. During that time which occurred between April to June, things had moved forward in steady motion…

~ 

Ariana to everyone one’s relief and joy, had indeed taken to her program well. So well in fact, that she was due to be released within the next two weeks. With Dr Julie’s professional help and assistance, she had already managed a couple of excursions out of the hospital and into the vast crowds at Southbank. 

“Make friends with your discomfort and don’t allow it to rule you” Dr Julie would say to her, as the two stood amongst swarms of people lining up for a ride on the London Eye. Ariana during this time would shuffle uncomfortably on her feet, willing people around her not to touch her, which was extremely impossible in that particular place. But overtime, in realising that no ill warranted affair had occurred each time she went there, the comfort and familiarly began to finally settle in. She at one point, stood smiling at the silly Halloween costumed man advertising tickets to the ‘London Dungeon’ positioned opposite the London Eye, when a little girl ran straight into her legs and fell over. 

“Sorry” the little girl stammered timidly up at her. 

Ariana stared down at her startled, then smiled warmly back. 

“Nothing to be sorry about” she said kindly, helping the girl back up on her feet (the same way the people in her life, were currently doing overtime with her). 

“That man scared me” the little girl admitted, pointing accusingly at the costumed man and pulling a face a him. 

Suddenly the girl’s parents were there.

“We’re awfully sorry” said the embarrassed mother, leaning down to grab her daughters’ hand.

Ariana laughed heartedly

“No need to apologise” she said confidently, then bent down so that she was on level with the small girl next to her. 

“Some men in the world are scary” she said to the girl gently, “But you are a strong girl, so don’t let him or anyone else bully or frighten you” she added with encouragement.

The little girl blinked a couple of times, then a wicked expression engulfed her face. Suddenly she ran back over to the costumed man, stood up straight and looked him up and down.

“You don’t scare me” she said boldly up at the man, (who within his costume, stared quite bewilderedly back at her)

The little girl then smiled broadly and waved back at Ariana before following her older siblings into the building. Ariana laughed and waved back as the girl’s parents shot her bemused, yet thankful expressions and hurried to catch up to their children.

“I’m very proud of you” Dr Julie whispered approvingly in her ear. 

Ariana smiled back at her. 

“Me too” she admitted, turning herself back in the direction of the hospital that she knew in two weeks’ time, she would be leaving and rather than feeling fear or dread towards occurrence, she was never more excited to re-join her brothers and new friends, out in the world that she now no longer feared. 

If anything, it was now the world’s turn to fear her …

~

Whilst Ariana had been in hospital, Albus and Aberforth with their combined efforts and additional support from Aunt Honoria, had managed to keep the house financially afloat during their mothers’ absence. Aberforth had picked up more shifts at his pub and Albus had taken advantage of end of year exams to really push opportunities for tutoring out to his fellow students on campus. Which he did with the not so subtle nor effective marketing help of his boyfriend and Vinda, whom had flirted, coaxed, manipulated and downright persuaded every person they could to take up sessions. 

“One of the top students in the year who really knows his shit” Gellert rambled onto a group of befuddling looking Medicine students, whilst waving a flyer in their face “Also very easy on the eyes, but no touching!” he then snarled, making them leap back in intimidation. 

“You’re hopeless at this” muttered Vinda, giving him a look.

She then turned to flutter her eyelashes and wave a flyer at a group of male Business students, who rapidly gave her their eager, undivided attention.

“Take my friends tutoring class, and I’ll give you prize in return” she said to them sweetly, earning looks of great interest back. 

“What prize?” Gellert whispered tartly in her ear, “Aberforth’s fist?” 

“Something like that” she whispered sheepishly back to him from the corner of her mouth, as each boy then took a flyer off her.

“You’re wrong about something else you know” he said smiling meekly at her, “It’s not just me, we’re both disasters …”

“Well at least we have good taste in men” was her simple response, to which he grinned smugly. 

~

Meanwhile, as Albus had very politely refused her also offering them financial assistance, Bathilda had instead taken it upon herself to provide what was most of their food, in the way of bakes, pies, cakes, scones and practically everything else that could be cooked in an oven and laid out on a dish. Even when they weren’t desperately trying to fit her cooking into their already overflowing fridge, they along with Vinda and Minerva, were over for dinner at least twice a week. During one of these dinners, Bathilda had provided Aberforth with a handful of Lady Slipper Orchid seeds to take home and grow in their own garden. 

“When something needs help, we must do all we can to assist” she said to him gently. 

Aberforth gripped the seeds tightly in his hand and gazed sincerely at her. 

“Thank you” he said to her softly, “for providing us with assistance” he added in a way of showing he truly meant it. 

She smiled deeply at him. 

“That’s what I do” she said kindly, pulling him in for a motherly hug, which, the 17-year-old boy did not refuse. Rather needily accepted with every inch of his heart, soul and withering body 

Vinda whose attention was caught in the middle of a conversation with Minerva, smiled very warmly at him. A smile that he caught from the corner of his eye and peacefully returned.

~

Their mother of course, had not yet woken up; and the question of how long she would be in a coma for was a consistent anxiety both boys kept to the back of their minds at each one’s own best ability. Coma’s of course can last of years in some conditions, but Albus’ did not wish to believe that would be the case for them in their circumstance. Instead he held on every day to the hope that she would wake up very soon and come home to them. She would raise an eyebrow at the fatty food in the fridge, probably snarl disapprovingly at their garden with was now spalling with sun-happy Lady Slipper Orchid seedlings; and further faint in shock at the state of their sitting room, which Gellert and Vinda (who were now half living in household) had turned into a mini music studio to the weak reluctance of their other halves. 

But it wouldn’t have mattered, she’d be awake and home, her favourite glass of wine in her hand and an alive look on her face. The idea of the coma putting her on a pathway in another direction was something both boys stubbornly refused to accept as a potential option.

Each Monday and Wednesday night, (both nights being those neither Albus nor Aberforth had work), they alongside Gellert, Vinda and sometimes Minerva, would make the journey to St Thomas at the start of the week to see Ariana, then to Chelsea and Westminster on the Wednesday to see their mother. They would come with a bunch of flowers from either theirs or Bathilda’s garden, that they would deposit into her vase replacing the older ones and proceed to tell her all about their most recent days. Albus would tell her about his marks and his credit scores which were ever increasing and Aberforth about his offer of promotion. Each hoping that their positive and uplifting news might jolt her into wakefulness, but unfortunately this wasn’t the case. 

“Soon Liebling” his boyfriend said softly, wrapping supportive arms around him and holding him in tight as the two sat on top of the half pipe at Clapham Common skatepark.

“Do you really think so?” the other boy replied back miserably,

“There is always hope” Gellert replied nuzzling his ear affectionately, as Vinda skateboarded around them to the very wary and watchful eyes of his brother and calculated look of their studious friend Minerva, who sat next them. 

Suddenly Vinda broke him out of his sad trance, by managing to do a “Nose Stall” on the ramp opposite them. As he and his boyfriend cheered lightly for her, Minerva slid herself nearer to them and spoke in a soft, monotonous voice.

“I have something to tell you, do you think you can meet me at our spot tomorrow morning?” she said quietly to him. 

Albus blinked.

“Yes of course” he said somewhat startled, “Are you ok?” he then added with wide eyed concern. 

The girl smiled desolately at him. 

“Yes, I’m fine, 8am?” she said pointedly.

Albus lips pursed a little. 

“8am” he confirmed sympathetically, taking the hint that this wasn’t something she was willing to discuss now. Not here under the cloudy night sky with his boyfriend, brother and his brother’s highly adept, skateboarding girlfriend all close by. 

“SHIT” Aberforth exclaimed suddenly, though nothing had actually happened. Vinda had managed another complicated trick and the uncertainty was simply becoming too much for him, “Alright enough skateboarding for tonight” he added in a snarky voice, walking up to his bemused girlfriend, whom he then put an arm around and guided out the park. 

The other three watched on in silent laugher 

“He’s getting there” said Albus sighing, as his boyfriend sniggered from behind him. 

~

As promised, Albus arrived at Costa Coffee on Blackfriars Road at 8am sharp the next morning. Walking into the café he was glad to see that she had already arrived and was waiting at their favourite table with two cups of steaming hot tea. 

“Hello” he said happily, “Gosh the weather is so hot today, I should never complain about it when its …”

He stopped speaking abruptly the moment he’d taken into consideration her current demeanour, which was far less blissful then his own and almost nervous, - which was alarming considering Minerva was never nervous, not ever! 

“Are you ok?” he asked anxiously, repeating his own question from the previous night. 

Sighing deeply, the girl’s bleak eyes met his own. 

“I’m leaving Albus” she confirmed softly to him,

Albus blinked

“What do you mean? Where are you going?” he asked confused. 

“I’m going home” she replied gently, “To Inverness, I won’t be here for start of term in September, I’m moving back to Scotland permanently” she added with a heavy breath, gazing back disconcertedly at him. 

Albus sat down in stunned silence and Minerva kindly pushed his tea towards him, which he accepted gratefully. After a much-needed strong sip, he then spoke in a soft voice. 

“Dougal?” he confirmed quietly.

Minerva smiled very weakly at him. 

“Partially” she admitted, “My sheer dumb luck really … I meet the right guy at the wrong time, in the wrong place, doesn’t make going forward too easy for me”

“But nothing worthwhile in life is ever easy” said Albus gently, “You told me that yourself”

Minvera flushed pink, also very unlike her. 

“But I do want it to go forward … I can’t honestly maintain what we have now for too much longer, if I don’t give it a proper go, I know I’ll always regret it” she said self-consciously (even more unlike her), “and besides it’s not all about him, I miss home Albus! I miss the mountains, I miss fresh air, the stars, I miss my cat, heck some days I even miss bagpipes” she added thickly, making Albus giggle. 

“When do you leave?” he then asked her quietly. 

“In three weeks” she confirmed, “After end of year is finalised and some other things”

“Oh good, you’ll still be here for Ariana’s discharge and Gellert and Vinda’s gig next Saturday” he confirmed to her. 

“Those are two of the things I am staying for yes” she said smiling secretly at him. 

He blinked in confusion, but let it slide. 

“I’ve asked Dougal to come down for that” she then added in a matter of fact tone, “It’s where we met, so it seems like a good place to be able to finally introduce him to everyone”

“Of course, yes” said Albus suddenly, “That’s what a lot of beginnings happened”

“So, it’s a fitting place for certain things to end” she added with nod, making Albus smile

The two sat in contemplative silence for a short time, until Albus spoke -

“I’ll miss you” he said softly, “You’ve been such a massive support to me within the last year, you really have no idea …” 

Minerva went pink once more and shifted her attention away, Albus had the strong suspicion she was holding back even more emotion that always wasn’t normally becoming of her. So, as a friend would, he got up and standing in front of her chair, he then supported her up into a standing position and wrapped his arms around her. She stiffened at the physical contact at first, but eventually relaxed into his arms. 

“I’ll miss you too” she said sniffly, “You’re the closest, dearest friend I’ve ever had! and one of the greatest people I know I’ll ever meet”

“and we’ll continue to meet time and time again” Albus reassured her, “I know we will! we might even work in the same school one day, can you imagine?”

Minerva laughed. 

“That would be nice” she said softly. 

Albus smiled warmly and hugged her some more. 

~

Two weeks rolled by and the date for Ariana’s discharge came along. Whilst the younger ones were down in the gift shop arguing lightly over balloons and flowers (Albus wanting to go extravagant, Aberforth wanting to keep within their budget) Bathilda went on ahead to floor 5, where the adolescent psych ward she’d come to know so well over the last 10 years, was situated. Moving up to the reception desk, she smiled respectfully down at the elderly woman sat there. 

“Hello Poppy” she said to her, “Good morning so far”

Poppy looked up startled, then smiled warmly back. 

“Very good actually, for today is 'the' day isn’t it?” the old woman said to her kindly. 

“It is” Bathilda confirmed happily, “Her brothers are just downstairs with my nephew and two other friends choosing gifts for her”

The older lady gave her a considerate nod. 

“She’s just in a quick meeting with Dr Julie” she confirmed, “Have a seat, it won’t take long …” she added reassuringly.

“Won’t take long at all Poppy” said a voice belonging to a tall dark brown-haired woman walking over to them with her arm around the shoulders of a very peaceful looking Ariana, “We’re all set to go” she added with a wink at the smaller girl next to her. 

Bathilda smiled at the woman appreciatively, but also somewhat nervously and while she did, the woman stared back at her with strong, unyielding gaze, not caught by the other two. 

“Hi Bathilda” said Ariana happily, moving forward to wrap her arms around the blonde-haired woman. 

“Hello sweetheart” said Bathilda gently, returning the gesture, “How are you feeling?”

“Good” said Ariana (and she meant it), “Where are my brothers?” she then added with a slight bit of worried concern. 

As if right on cue, two voices yelled out from down the hall. 

“ARIANA” 

The two boys then ran down the hall towards her, sending flower petals everywhere and a large balloon, swaying erratically around in their wake.

She laughed ecstatically and caught them both in a group hug. 

Bathilda beamed as the three having lost their footing in the moment, collapsed down onto the floor in a burst of laughter and more stray flower petals. From her kneeling position, Ariana flung an arm around each of her brothers and pulled them in towards herself and they in turn each placed a strong, yet gentle hand on her back (the balloon was on the celling now). 

Suddenly another hand placed itself on Bathilda’s shoulder from behind her. 

“Beautiful isn’t it” the owners voice said softly to her. 

Bathilda sighed. 

“I know what you are insinuating … don’t” she said firmly out the corner of her mouth to the other woman. 

“Why?” the woman argued back, stepping forward to turn a curt expression towards the blonde woman, “I’d have thought the last few months might have changed your perspective on certain things?” she added reproachfully 

“It has” Bathilda admitted, now watching her nephew approach with Minerva and Vinda, “But …”

“But what?” said Julie firmly, “You said it yourself … falling in love is the greatest thing that can ever happen to a human being, your 42 Bathilda! how much longer are you going to remain scared off settling down with me?”

Bathilda stubbornly continued avoiding the woman and her blunt words, focusing instead on her nephew who was now taking it in turns with Vinda to jump up and get the balloon down. 

“I know” said Julie following her eye direction, “He is the most important thing in your life above all else …”

“But he’s grown up now” said Bathilda quietly, gazing at Gellert with a soft, melancholy expression. 

“Well maybe it’s time for you to do that too …” said the woman in a firm, forceful tone once more 

Taken back, Bathilda finally turned a startled expression towards the woman, who gazed very intently back at her. 

Suddenly the woman dropped her serious stance and smiled cheekily at her. 

“Shall we at least start with dinner?” the woman suggested, “8pm, your favourite place?” 

“I need to be at Gellert’s gig tonight, so no” said Bathilda stubbornly.

Julie smiled. 

“Well then tomorrow?” she added with a slight eye roll, “Breakfast at my place in Battersea, you can come spend time with me while Gellert sleeps his night off?” she added with a fond, amused smile. 

Bathilda bit her tongue a little, but then sighing defeatedly, she nodded

“Will you make me a Bloody Mary?” she asked stiffly 

“Of course,” said the woman even more amused, “Surely you know by now, that I’d do anything for you …”

Bathilda flushed pink and directed her attention back to the young group, not before at last finding the woman’s hand and intertwining their fingers. 

From the corner of his eye, Gellert gave Julie a very quick, secretive wink, that she responded to by smiling rather triumphantly back at him. 

~

As promised to Bathilda, Ariana kept a journal and as promised; she used it to write down her dreams and goals for the future. It worked very well in terms of providing her with the continuous motivation to push forward through her program. As one of her goals was to be able to go shopping with her brothers again, the group decided that they would take her shopping Oxford Street to celebrate her recovery. The intent and purpose were not so much to recreate old light-hearted memories from a previous happy time, but to benchmark bright new ones with new friends and get her started back out in the world on a positive, affirming way. Additionally, since Ariana had also been intent on wanting to see Aberforth’s pub and watch her friends band perform, Aberforth had scheduled the night off work and Gellert and Vinda had purposely booked their next gig the same evening, making these another set of goals, she’d achieve the exact same day. Though her brothers had worried about her pushing herself too far, she had immediately and with a strong determined attitude, counteracted their fears.

“The way to conquer anxiety, is to constantly step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself” she said to them firmly, “I’ll be fine! trust me … it’s something I’ve wanted to do since I first dressed you for the occasion” she added with a nod at her older brother. 

“So long as you are confident in yourself then we are too” said Albus with a stern look at his more hesitant younger brother. 

“I am, plus Bathilda will be there to take me home if needed, it’ll all be good, I really want to watch Gellert and Vinda perform” she then added longingly. 

“Oh, trust me, you watch them perform everyday!” said Aberforth sarcastically, making Albus laugh. 

“I trust you Ari” he then said to her warmly, “You have my support” he added, to which his sister positively beamed at him. 

~

From the bus stop close by St Thomas Hospital, the group jumped onto a red double decker bus heading in the direction of Oxford Circus. On the top seat’s right at the front that contained a direct overhead view of the world ahead, Ariana sat down somewhat nervously with Vinda next to her. The two young women smiled at each other and gripped hands as the bus glided up Westminster bridge and past Big Ben. 

“It’s only shopping” Vinda reminded her, 

“I know” said Ariana reassuringly to her, “I’m ok”

As Vinda smiled encouragingly at her, she then turned and looked the girl up and down. 

“What are you wearing tonight?” she asked with interest. 

Vinda ceased smiling and gave her an inquiring look 

“Um …this” she replied slowly, looking down at her outfit as well, wondering what the issue was with it? She was then suddenly taken back to see now Ariana smiling very eagerly at her. 

“Excellent” the she said enthusiastically, then turned to Minerva who was sat behind them with Bathilda. 

“How about you Minerva” she asked, “What are you wearing?”

Minerva gave her a suspicious look. 

“Well this” she said, also looking down her outfit in the same befuddled way as Vinda, “I mean we’re going there straight after this, aren’t we?” she then asked Bathilda, suddenly unsure whether or not she got the correct schedule. 

“Great” said Ariana happily, before Bathilda had a chance to answer her. 

The girl turned her attention back towards the glass screen in front of them, that showed the bus now heading down Whitehall and past Downing Street. As she did, Vinda and Minerva gave each other stupefied looks, whilst Bathilda sat smiling knowingly to herself. 

From behind them, Gellert who’d be caught up in a conversation with one of his teachers coincidently on the same bus as them, bounded up the staircase and strode over to where they were up front. He then narrowed his eyebrows at his boyfriend and his brother whom were sat next to each other on opposite side of the aisle to Vinda and Ariana. 

“Excuse me is this seat taken?” he said lofty to Aberforth and before being given a chance to reply, the boy groaned out in immense pain as Gellert jumped deliberately right down onto his -

“If you want to sit next to my brother all you have to do is bloody ask!” said Aberforth irritably, between short bursts of breath.

“Gellert I realise this is very difficult for you, but can you please keep your bum to yourself?” said Bathilda tartly from behind them. 

“Yes Aunty” he responded silkily, whilst pushing himself up onto his feet again. 

He then smirked widely at Aberforth, who glaring at him, stood up and moved himself into the seats behind them. From there, sighing loudly and contently, he sunk down onto Aberforth’s previously occupied seat and lazily flopped an arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders. 

“I’ll personally rephrase that” said Albus in a sulky undertone, as the bus now passed Trafalgar Square, heading towards Piccadilly Circus, “Can you please keep your tattooed backside to me and myself only?”

“Yes Liebling” 

~

Arriving at their destination, the group shuffled off the bus at the 5 storey Topshop at Oxford Circus. Ariana blinked up at it the same way a 5-year-old approaching the gates at Disneyland would.

“Remember you saying to me that these days would return?” she said softly to her older brother, whom was now stood beside her. 

“Yes” he agreed, beaming at her. 

“Thank you” she then said, wrapping her arms around him.

“I did nothing” he said gently back, “It’s all been you Ariana …”

“You were there” she contradicted, gazing up at him and giving him a small, very grateful smile, “It means a lot to me …”

Albus blinked, then looked down at his feet feeling suddenly very self-conscious. His brother placed a supportive hand on his shoulder and giving him a small, appreciative nod, he then gently guided the two of them into the shop, closely followed by Gellert, Vinda, Minerva and Bathilda. 

“So beautiful Ariana” sang Gellert, staring around at the products on display with great interest, “Your reward for getting through 3 months of hospital and remerging from it cured of darkness, is that you get a bright, sparkly day shopping with us lot” he said gesturing around at their company, - “congratulations” he then added smiling broadly at her, and choosing a feminine hat to try on to the amusement of her and his boyfriend. 

“- and we’re all put in some money, for you to choose an outfit to wear tonight” Albus agreed, trying not to laugh, as he lifted himself up onto his toes to straighten the ridiculous looking accessory on top of his boyfriend’s head. It was a flowery bonnet of some sort, obviously marketed to those seeking items for the upcoming summer music festival season (Albus strangely liked it), “Just like we used to buy you on your birthday” he then added, turning to smile at her once he’d gotten his boyfriend’s hat on properly. 

“Never mind me” she said swiftly, from where she stood a little ahead them.

To the surprise of everyone except Bathilda, who was still smiling knowingly to herself, she then turned and gazed rather wickedly at the other two girls. 

“Come with me” she commanded, grabbing both Vinda and Minerva’s hands and guiding them further into the shop as Bathilda, Aberforth, Albus and Gellert (still in his hat) watched on bemused.

“She’s going to make a good stylist one day” said Bathilda in a confident tone to the brothers, one of whom beamed at her, the other -

“You think she would have started with him?” said Aberforth disdainfully, pointing in the direction of Gellert, who at last removing the hat, scowled at him. 

~

2 hours later, the group left the shop with both Vinda and Minerva adorning new, somewhat matching outfits Ariana had picked out for them. Minerva, a black dress, with sheer overlining that was decorated with silver stars and matching black ballet flats. Vinda, something very similar, only her outfit was a two piece, with gold stars and she wore her trademark boots instead. All the while, Ariana remained in the clothes she left the hospital in.

“It doesn’t matter” she said to them against their protests, “I’m going home early with Bathilda anyway, being I’m underage and can’t stay after 9pm, you two might as well make the most of your night with these outfits, - my thank you … to both of you” she then added with an appreciative smile at the other two young woman. 

Vinda smiled weakly back at her and pulled her in for a hug. 

“You’re a fabulous young woman Ari” she whispered, “and you’re going to be amazing, I know you will be”

“and you’ll both still be around supporting me right” said Ariana, hopefully to them. 

‘Yes Mon Cheri, I promise” Vinda replied weakly, as Minerva shuffled uncomfortably on her feet. 

~

Jumping onto the Underground this time, they caught Victoria line 6 stops down to Brixton and walked in the direction of Aberforth’s pub. Minerva who had been walking beside Albus suddenly stopped and not for the first time that week, turning a remarkable shade of pink. From outside the front of the venue, in his trademark flannel shirt, Dougal McGregor stood smoking a cigarette and was accompanied coincidently by no other, than Gellert and Vinda’s bandmates – Gus and Xavior. 

“Hello” he said smiling reverently at her, “You look absolutely stunning”

“Thank you” she stammered as Vinda and Ariana giggled from behind her, “May I introduce you to my friends – Albus, Vinda, Gellert, Aberforth, Ariana and Bathilda”

“Yes, I know you” said Dougal with a wink at Vinda, “and I’ve heard a lot about you, I’m Dougal” he added nodding politely at Albus and offering him a handshake. 

“As have we” said Albus, accepting the handshake and smiling politely back at him. 

“Hem Hem” Minerva coughed awkwardly, “Shall we go inside then” she added pointedly, obviously wanting to divert attention away from herself and her partner in the process. 

“Give me two seconds” Gellert whispered into Albus ear and kissing his cheek lightly. He then turned to nod at Vinda and getting the hint, the two then walked over to Xavior and Gus, and emerged themselves in what was obviously a private conversation between bandmates. 

Not thinking too much of it, Albus followed his siblings into the venue. 

~

Whilst the group sat down for dinner, Aberforth very suddenly cleared his throat. 

“So, I have an announcement” he said meaningfully to his siblings, “The promotion I was offered two weeks ago … I’ve decided to take it”

The group burst into a round of small cheers

“Well done Aberforth” said Bathilda approvingly, “Here’s to Aberforth” she then added raising him a glass, - “The new Duty Manager here at this fine venue!”

Albus and Ariana beamed at their brother as everyone took to their drinks. 

“At the end of the day, bartending really isn’t a bad job” said Aberforth shrugging, though smiling all the same, “- and who knows, maybe if I feel like it? I might open my own bar … not in London though” he then added as a vague afterthought. 

“There are some really nice villages in the Highlands you could look at” said Minerva, smiling at him.

“I’m not going and living in a small village” said Vinda snootily 

“Who said you were coming” –

Vinda gave him a look, then playfully chucked a chip in his direction. 

Minerva then sighed suddenly. 

“I suppose on that note I have an announcement too” she added, sharing a look with Dougal, then Albus, “I’m moving back to Scotland”. 

Vinda attention snapped back to her. 

“What?” she said aghast 

“I’m sorry” said Minerva sadly catching her eye, “But it’s a new chapter I need to move onto”

Vinda blinked rapidly, then turned her away desolately. Ariana chose then to speak up for her and everyone else. 

“We’ll miss you Minerva” she said sincerely, “I’m sorry you can’t stay”

“In a way me too” said Minerva kindly to her, “Watching you grow over the last few months has been very rewarding Ariana, as has making friends with all of you” she then added with a glance around the table. 

They all gazed fondly at her. 

“To Minerva and her next chapter” said Albus pointedly, now raising his glass

Once again, the table drank and next it was Gellert who spoke and as he did, he stood up.

“Now my announcement” he said somewhat nervously, as his boyfriend gazed disconcertedly up at him, “There is going to be an A&R here tonight …”

There was a short bout of silence at the table, until -

“What? Are you serious?” his boyfriend now asked both amazed and excited,

“Yeah” said Gellert, smiling softly down at him

“Now long have you known this?” asked Aberforth curiously, “I knew nothing about it” he added in a way of pointing out, that as a manager he should know these things!

“Not too long” said Gellert sheepishly, whilst sitting back down, “Mr Paige made mention to me that there has been one floating around South London recently, I then caught him on the bus this afternoon and he confirmed to me that he knows through word of mouth, someone from EMI is most definitely going to be here tonight!” he added with a direct nod at his band mates, who shuffled nervously in their seats. 

“Well I’ll drink to that” said Dougal suddenly, surprising everyone, “To another wacky, entertaining performance by you lot, I loved it last time and I’m sure you’ll blow us all away again this time” 

“Just don’t go dedicating songs to anyone” said Aberforth with an eye roll, to which Albus slightly red cheeked, laughed. 

“Oh ho! you just watch what I’m going to do manager” said Gellert in sweet, mock warning, making the other scowl up at him; "That's got a nice ring to it actually ... Oh yeah 'manager', I'll tell you something ... I think you'll understaaaand" he began singing cheerfully 

"Shut up" Aberforth snapped, as the rest of the table laughed 

Meanwhile, finally catching Vinda’s eye, Minerva tilted her head and the two girls politely left the table. 

~

“How long has this been on your mind for?” said Vinda taking a seat at a corner table with her friend, the same table that she once over a few glasses of red, stared longing at a bartender, - such times seem so long ago now …

“For a while” said Minerva quietly, “You remember me telling you about my trip to Inverness castle, well that was the day I really decided on what I wanted”

“What about university?” Vinda argued back at her. 

“Distant Education” said Minvera simply, “It’s an option for students in my circumstance and I can get a placement at one of the school’s in Inverness instead”

Vinda smiled sadly, then took a large gulp of her drink. 

“I’m sorry” she said thickly through hiccups, “Sorry if this is me coming across as selfish, but being surrounded by so many boys, it was really nice having a girl around”

“I understand exactly what you mean” said Minerva sighing, “But for me girls or boys, it was just nice having people around, I’ve learnt a lot about not closing myself off these past few months, it’s something I want to try and stick to, there is true value in friendship …”

“Of course, there is” said Vinda amused, “Well for that I am glad”

“I’m glad for you” said Minerva smiling at her, “Not just for your friendship, but your general outward personality, without it; - I’d never had met Dougal” 

Vinda blushed and took another large scull of her drink. 

“You will come visit us” she then said forcefully

“Of course, I will, why wouldn’t I” said Minerva tartly. 

“You might find someone cooler …” Vinda argued,

“Don’t be stupid, no one in the world is as cool as you” said Minerva with a laugh at her. 

The two girls gazed fondly at each other for a short while, then both burst into a fit of carefree laughter. As they did, Vinda took another drink.

“Easy on the alcohol” said Minerva sternly, pushing her glass back down again. 

“Sorry, I’m nervous” Vinda admitted guilty. 

“I thought you said don’t get nervous before gig’s” said Minerva with a raised eyebrow. 

“There normally isn’t an A&R at my gig’s” the girl replied back with a pout. 

“You’ll be fine” Minerva encouraged, “You just be you and things will fall into place …”

Vinda blinked and smiled at her, then catching Dougal talking to Aberforth a short distance away out the corner of her eye, she turned to her friend and gave her a stern look, typical of the other girl, but quite uncharacteristic of her. 

“It’s all very soon” she said to Minvera seriously, “Are you should you’re making a wise decision?”

Minerva followed her glance, then sighed. 

“I’m following my heart instead of my brain” she said softly, “I don’t do that very often, but this time it seems right too”

“Maybe your parents should have called you Venus instead of Minerva” Vinda teased. 

“Shush you” she retorted, though with a slight grin. 

Vinda laughed heartedly.

“You just be you Mon Cheri, and things will fall into place” she said in a mock wise tone, making the other girl roll her eyes at her. 

~

“You’ve never told me whether or not you like my outfit” said Vinda pouting at her boyfriend, as the two walked hand and hand down the Brixton Road. It was one hour until her set and Vinda, simmering with nerves, decided she needed to take a walk and get some fresh air to which, her boyfriend was happy to accompany her. 

Aberforth turned his attention towards her and looked her up and down. 

“You look like a witch” he remarked, dodging a hand that came up to slap him around the head. 

“What’s witchy about this” she said huffily, to him

“Black sheer material and stars” he replied shrugging.

“I think it’s gorgeous” she argued back, skipping ahead a few steps and twirling around on the spot, “Your sister has good taste; and who knows! Maybe in an alternate universe I am a witch?”

“You can’t be both a knight and a witch” said Aberforth loftly. 

“I can be whatever I want to be” she replied stubbornly, giving him another look. 

Laughing softly, he playfully scooted her into his arms, as the two came to rest at an alleyway where painted on the wall, was a memorial dedicated to David Bowie. 

“Thanks witch” she said softly to her. 

“What are you thanking me for?” she replied back gently, gliding a hand through his shaggy hair. 

“For helping me to find magic within the world, for making me see it” said Aberforth.

“You mean trust and positivity?” she questioned him

“I mean whatever it is a feel when I am around you” he corrected, looking deep into her eyes

After a few moments of feeling herself going very red, Vinda smiled sincerely up him and kissed him softly on the lips. 

“This isn’t magic Mon Armor, for once I am not endorsing something fantastical, it’s not knights, princesses, princes, castles, dragons and bards. It’s not make-believe fictitious settings with fantastic beasts! … this right here, right now between you and me, it’s …” 

“It’s what” he pressed her, confused. 

“In the words of Gellert’s wise aunt, it’s the greatest thing that can ever happen to a human being” she said.

“What is?” –

She rolled her eyes exasperatedly at him. 

“Whatever it is … it’s real” she said firmly, standing upwards to kiss him once more and at last fully understanding and agreeing, he wrapped his arms around her, giving happily into it. 

~

Elsewhere in the night, in an almost Deju Vu like moment, two boys climbed a set of steps. 

Back to the same place, with the same fairy lights, to the same spot 

\- where they first officially came together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (i) anyone remember the Christmas chapters in the HP books, where Dumbledore always getting a serious hats out of his crackers, swaps them with flowery bonnets, that's what I was referencing there.
> 
> (i) Ariana's recovery would have taken probably much longer and there would have been much ongoing work getting her to the point, where she is at in this chapter, but determined to end this story happily, that is something I'm skimming past.
> 
> (i) the war is over between Gellert and Aberforth, now the two are in friendly combat mode. Who will get the last word?


	22. Love burns in Brixton

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How sad am I!
> 
> My story is now finished, last two chapters are now up ...
> 
> Please see bottom of the page for notes regarding this chapter.

22\. Love Burns in Brixton.

“Well it’s a beautiful evening for a performance” Albus commented, whilst gazing wistfully out over the chimney top rooftops, that lay underneath the early night sky of South West London. “Say you do get signed onto EMI, then I’ll be the head of your groupies and CEO of your fanbase” he added in a slight attempt at a joke, even though imagining Gellert surrounded by groupies was enough to make the even the most mature of boys such as himself, red faced in predatory rage. 

“What groupies” said Gellert airily, wrapping his arms around the other boy as the two leant into the rail observing the view, “There’ll be no groupies, only my end of day reward, each day and everyday” he added nuzzling his ear. 

“Unless I’m working” said Albus giggling at the contact, “Can’t travel with you on tour whilst I’m grading assignments” 

“Sure, you can” said Gellert dismissing the other’s doubts and now lifting him off his feet and smiling smugly. 

“Put me down” said Albus between bursts of breath. 

“No” said Gellert smoothly, “That will involve letting you go …” 

“Gellert” Albus whined reproachfully, 

Laughing Gellert placed the other boy down at last and kissed the side of his face affectionately. 

“I’ll make sure to only schedule tours on school holidays” he said softly, “Will that work?”

“Before all the above, you need to sell albums and become successful first” said Albus, with an amused smile. 

“Before I do that even, I need to get through this performance” he now added, somewhat nervously. 

“You’ll be great” said Albus softly, beaming up at him, “I believe in you …”

Gellert blinked, then smiling weakly himself, he caught the other boys’ lips with his own. 

“That’s very sweet of you” he said in a meaningful tone whilst pulling back, “But personally I think it’s time for one last round of Dutch Courage” he added brazenly, nodding his head towards the bar, - “What do you want liebling?”

“I don’t know” said Albus casually, “Surprise me”

“If I surprise you, then you need to drink it” –

“I will” –

“Sure” –

“I will” Albus pouted, to the others amused gaze

“Don’t go anywhere Cinderella” said Gellert grabbing his hand and kissing it lightly, “I’ll be right back”

As he walked over to the bar, Albus absentmindedly guided himself over to a familiar corner. There he wrapped his arms around his shoulders, feeling the familiar slight breeze from when he last stood here. He was amazed then to think, of how such a short space of time can add up to so much. How it’s not the time that we are given, but rather how we spend it and with who? A couple months of insanity, that had flown by so fast …

Breaking him out of his philosophical stupor, Gellert nudged him and presented an emerald coloured drink. 

“What on earth is that?” said Albus narrowing his eyebrows at it. 

“Some call it ‘The Green Fairy’” said Gellert innocently, “In my home country we call it Absinthe”

“Absinthe” Albus replied curiously.

“Yes” said Gellert lightly, guiding them over to a table with two chairs that sat a little away from their corner, “and yours is only a half the amount, watered down with lots of lemonade, so don’t worry”

“I’m not worried” Albus lied.

His boyfriend smirked widely as he then attempted his first sip, one that he spat out almost straight away.

“Oh my god!” he exclaimed, his tone matching his facial expression perfectly as Gellert opposite him cackled into laughter. 

“It’s 70% alcohol per shot” the other said gleefully. 

“So, it’s pretty much poison!” said Albus horrified. 

“No, we’re not playing Snow White tonight” said Gellert sweetly, taking a much stronger sip of his, “It’s safe, don’t worry! but just don’t tell Aberforth I gave you some, otherwise he won’t let me forget it for a grand total of … erm … several weeks?” 

Albus smiled weakly and attempted another small sip. 

“You’re cute when you’re petrified and uncertain” Gellert taunted. 

“You’re pretty handsome when you’ve got a motive of some sort up your sleeve” said Albus sarcastically back, 

“No motive” said Gellert seriously, “Other than to have fun with my boyfriend … and to perhaps really feel the lyrics of what I am going to sing tonight” 

“and it’s not a song about holding hands with bartenders/ managers?” Albus confirmed with a nod. 

Gellert laughed again, 

“No …” he said, brushing blonde hair out his eyes and turning his very handsome face and smile in the others direction, “It’s about much more than that …”

“What’s it about?” said Albus curiously taking another sip of his drink and shuddering, “Do I get a hint this time?” 

“Hmmm” Gellert contemplated, sitting back in his chair and staring thoughtfully up at the twilight sky. 

“Say a boy meets another boy, he runs around after that boy for a bit and believes he’s accomplished so much once he gains him. But his run isn’t over, he realises eventually that in running so desperately towards something, he’s been elsewise; for a very long time, trying to desperately to run away from something else. It takes the other, much more sensible boy and his brash, realistic aunt to help that boy to understand parts of himself that he’d closed off. When he accepts and comes to terms with those parts, that’s when he really becomes accomplished, he achieves what they call a milestone …”

“So, it’s a song about achieving milestones” said Albus bemused. 

“It’s about growing up” said Gellert, shifting his gaze to him and giving him a most sincere expression, “It’s about coming to terms with one’s own self, facing the music and being the right type of person in life”

“You are more than the right type of person” said Albus sincerely to him, “You’re my favourite person! The best person I’ll ever meet, and you’ve helped me so much as well … you probably don’t realise it, but you have! I am a much more confident person than I was before because of you and every day I am with you, you make me feel more and more alive” he added with a blush, “- like there is nothing in the world that I can’t do …”

Gellert smiled very deeply at him. 

“The first time I ever saw you, it was like seeing fire for the first time! I’d never seen anything so beautiful, nor enthralling in my entire life” he said quietly. 

“Well I thought you were pretty ‘hot’ as well” said Albus loftily, making Gellert snort.

“- and how good for me, to also realise over time that you’re so much more than that, you’re gentle, clever, compassionate, empathetic, caring and wise” -

“and you’re the boy that makes me want to jump over the moon” said Albus cheekily, raising his glass to his lip “I don’t know about you having two stars for eyes though, one does look like one, the other looks more like a piece of onyx …”

“I love you” said the other boy, making Albus choke on his drink. 

Regaining himself, he stared wide eyed back at Gellert, whom he could see wasn’t joking, he wasn’t even smiling, he was looking deeply into his eyes. 

“I love you” 

~

“Is he alright?” Aberforth asked, eyeing off his brother, who by all physical accounts, appeared off in another world … 

“He’s fine” said Gellert cheerfully, whom had his arm around the wind-swept boy and was supporting him down the stairs, “He’s just discovered hard liquor that’s all” 

“What” –

“He’ll be fine Aberforth” said Vinda with a small smile, “Come on” she added, gesturing at Gellert, who looking incredibly satisfied (too satisfied for Aberforth’s liking), deposited his boyfriend into his grasp and made to follow her backstage. 

Aberforth stared at his brother alarmed 

“What strong liquor?” he asked urgently. 

“Cupid fairy” Albus replied distantly. 

“What?” said Aberforth, confused as ever

“No, that’s not it” Albus agreed, “um … red fairy?” he then added thickly. 

Aberforth groaned in exasperation. 

“The only ‘red fairy’ in this pub is you” he snarled, helping his brother over to the audience section and placing him in a chair next to Minerva and Dougal. 

“Are you all good?” the girl asked him with raised eyebrows. 

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he turned and looked at her. 

“I’m in love” 

“What!” said Aberforth loudly now, knocking his own chair over in the process.

~

Standing tall and determined, Gellert moved forward slowly towards his microphone. 

“Hello everyone” said he softly into the equipment, “You can forgive me for my current demeanour, I seldom ever approach a microphone so apprehensively, as you all know …”

His statement was met with a trail of light laughter …

“Normally when I do, I do as some cocky performer! and even tonight I can produce as much fun and high energy as I possibly can, but to be frank, I’m not quite in that particular mood … rather, I am in the mood to be honest, - with all of you, but more importantly, - with myself”

His admission was more met with raised eyebrows. 

“Myself and my loved ones have had a couple of insane months and I think it’s safe to say that like a reborn phoenix, we’re come out on the reverse side very different people, stronger people perhaps? Or at least more in touch with ourselves than we were previously. I can honestly say from my personal point of view, the last couple of months have been a lesson in many things, - wisdom, priorities, conduct, values and judgement, most importantly I’ve come to terms with myself, who I want to be as a person moving forward … and to whom, I want to be that person for …”

He now turned a very serious expression to his auburn-haired boyfriend, who blinked astoundingly back up at him. 

“and I’ve come to an even deeper understanding of something else, perhaps you’ll all be so lucky to one day understand it as well as I now do …”

He then grabbed his guitar and hoisted it up.

“I dedicate tonight’s performance to a force that burns brighter than any star in London’s cloudy night sky and to all those souls out there whom, ‘like magic’, this force blooms within. I only hope that one day, yourselves like me, find the person that helps you discover it …”

He smiled down at his boyfriend, who he was somewhat pleased to see had tears in his eyes. Though that was nothing compared to his aunt, who was positively bawling into her sleeves and being heartedly comforted by Ariana. 

“- and here’s also to growing up!” he then added, picking a cord, as his band members followed his lead on their own instruments. 

~

\- 30 minutes prior - 

“You …” Albus stammered. 

“I love you more than one person can ever love another person” said Gellert determinedly, “as self-regarding as that sounds … but there’s no one like you liebling, you’re the one my stubborn heart has chosen … you’re the one that sets it on fire”

Albus’ face burned like fire. 

“Very poetic” he said in a small voice back. 

Gellert smiled at him. 

“I do try …” he replied in a cheeky tone of voice, one that did not offset the solid, determined look in his eyes. 

It was now Albus’ turn to laugh, which he did before taking a measured gulp of his strong drink. ‘Goodness, how the world spins …” he thought inanely, ‘- and how my heart beats’.

He placed the drink back down on the table and as well as he could in his tipsy state, stared directly and unwaveringly back at his boyfriend. 

“Say if were to reject you right here, right now” he said slyly, “What would you do?”

“Die” said Gellert seriously, “only a little though …” he added, with another smile, making Albus giggle some more. 

"Well best be honest then” he said softly, “I’ve loved you for a long time now, perhaps since I first saw you in the lit-up window, perhaps longer than that? When I snuck glances at you in the university corridors, when I saw you out my mother’s car window, tell me … what does that say about me?”

“What does that say about us” Gellert added, “when you came down the street that day, when I saw you on the train, when I gazed at you from afar whilst Minerva glared back at me”

Albus laughed again, as did Gellert.

“- and did you know for sure? last time we shared this space” said Albus quietly, “Here on this rooftop, under these lights?”

“Yes” said Gellert seriously.

“Me too” Albus agreed softly, gazing meaningfully up at him. 

“Perhaps there just isn’t anything left to say” said Gellert strongly now, as he then in the very same place they first shared one, pulled the other in for a kiss; and not just some half-hearted peck, one that conveyed all the feelings between them. That even the two most brilliant of boys such as themselves, could not properly decipher. 

“There is” said Albus, pulling away and staring deeply into his eyes, “I love you too”

~

Gellert closed his eyes now and with a deep measured breath, he began to sing -

I saw you walking by, like a lost soul  
and you had these shining eyes.  
Made me want to pull you in and wrap you in my arms

\- and you know I try to live without regrets  
I'm always moving forward, not looking back  
But I tend to leave a trail of ash, while I'm moving ahead

But I'm changing my way.  
There’s nothing else to say  
And it feels like …

It feels like, feels like a coming  
It feels like, feels -  
Like I’m coming of age!

When my ego pulls me to the sea  
and the truth is hidden by my pride; and past enemies  
When I hurt the people, I care for the most …

Just like a bird, I’ll take off in flight  
When I'm too scared to fight  
Those moments when I'm wrong, but still say I'm right

But I'm bored of that game …  
Because of you, things aren’t the same  
and it feels like –

Feels like, feels like it's coming  
It feels like, feels -  
Like I’m coming of age!

Feels like, feels like we’re coming  
It feels like, feels -  
We’re coming of age!

He exhaled a final deep breath to the very loud cheers of this audience. Bathilda still in tears, clapped very loudly for her nephew, so too did Ariana, Dougal, Minerva, Aberforth (shockingly) and even his own band.

Vinda relieving herself from her instrument, walked over and flung her arms around him. 

“I’m so proud of you” she whispered tearfully, to which he simply held onto her as tight as he could. From the corner of his eye, his gaze met that of a beautiful auburn-haired boy, who sat in his chair, tearful and beaming reverently up at him. 

“I love you” the boy mouthed, and Gellert catching his words, allowed a few of his own grateful tears flow. 

~

“That was a very deep song you wrote” said a voice from over Gellert’s shoulder, as he was packing up his guitar two hours later. 

Startled, he turned around and found himself face to face with middle age, balding man. Whom within in his hairy, callused hand, was holding a card for him to take. 

“Peter Wilson, EMI, I believe you were aware that I might be here tonight” he then said, with small smile. 

Gellert shot a quick glance at his boyfriend and best friend, whom had been sat on the edge of the stage waiting for him and who now turned and gave each other anxious, excited glances. 

“Yes” Gellert timidly, turning back towards him, “My teacher Mr Paige told me on the bus this afternoon”. 

“Not very observant are you kid?” said the man, with an even bigger smile, “I was standing right next to your teacher on the exact same bus, that’s exactly how I came to be here tonight. You should really vouch for that teacher of yours, he did a very good job convincing me of your talent this afternoon which I’ve now witnessed, not to mention you have both a look and streak of showmanship as well” 

“Erm” Gellert stammered, well and truly taken back. 

“But you have more than that” he now said very seriously, “You have truthfulness, seen well and clear by the way you dedicated yourself and your performance to that boy over there” he added giving Albus a nod, “a true music artist does more than entertain, they convey … I’d be more than happy to represent you and your band moving forward” 

Gellert’s eye’s widened. 

“You … you mean it” he stammered, 

“Yes” said the man seriously, “expect my call within the next coming week, from my previous research of you, I notice you don’t have much of any online profile, that’ll be one of the things we’ll need to start working on straight away” he added

“Oh” said Gellert, ears turning red, “Yes something I haven't dedicated much of myself to, I agree” he added thickly

“What he means is” said Albus walking over and taking Gellert’s hand in his, “Is that he’s not very good with technology, but I can help him” he added, gazing dotingly up at his boy.

“So, you’re the muse” the man said with a nod at Albus, “Best keep this one around for a bit” he added with a with a smirk at Gellert. 

“I intent to” said Gellert, with a soft look at his boyfriend. 

“I assume the contact details your teacher gave me are correct” the man now said firmly. 

“Yes, they are” said Gellert, nodding his head. 

“Excellent” said the man content, “Next week Gellert” he added, gesturing his finger and turning to walk out the venue. 

As he did, the very shocked boy was suddenly surrounded by arms. That of his very excited band mates and others belonging to his friends, all of whom had been watching the scene very closely. 

“Oh sweetheart” cried his aunt, pulling him away from everyone else and embracing him firmly in her arms. 

“Thank you” he whimpered into her shoulder, “Without you I wouldn’t be here”

“Thank you for keeping your promise to me, by not wasting your gift” she added sniffly, “I can’t wait to watch you go forward and grow from here …” 

Gellert half laughed, half sobbed in response and gripped her even tighter. 

“We have record deal!” Vinda practically screamed as everyone cheered some more and Aberforth using his staff discount, brought them all a bottle of champagne that he then popped, sending liquid and fizz flying everywhere

Gellert gently removed himself from his aunts’ arms and turned back around to his friends. Finding the intended person, he then lifted him up and spun him around to the laughter and cheers of everyone surrounding them. 

“I love you too” he then whispered to his boyfriend, now holding him steady, as he in response, grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him fiercely. 

As the world continued to spin around them.

~

As Ariana and Bathilda went home after 9pm, the rest of the group stayed out much later. The celebration moved from Aberforth’s pub in Brixton, to Camden, then to a couple of strobe light places in Shoreditch. Finally, the group consisting of Albus, Gellert, Vinda, Minerva, her boyfriend Dougal and Aberforth (who’d borrowed Xavior’s old fake ID), left the nightclub, as well as Gus and Xavior behind them and stumbled up their street in Clapham Common, with the sun rising up slowly from behind them. 

“See Mon Amour” said Vinda sleepily, leaning into her boyfriend’s shoulder, “You were absolutely fine after all”

“But I still don't endorse the use of fake ID’s” he replied grumpily, “I really can’t now that I’m a manager”

“Well I am glad that for just one important night, you did for me” she said meekly, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. 

Reaching their destination, Gellert haphazardly fumbled with his house key attempting to get the front door open. Once successful, the group then stumbled down the hallway and passed out rather ungracefully in sleep, on his aunts living room floor, - where not too long afterwards they were woken up by a very amused Ariana. 

“Bathilda had a breakfast date to get to” she said giggling whilst poking Aberforth in the side of his face, “So here I am, Tea or Coffee everyone?” she then asked the room lightly, receiving mixed groans in response. 

Albus on his part, simply rolled over onto his side and gripped the boy next to him even tighter and Gellert responded, by placing his own arm around him. From there, the two shared one final recollective thought before falling back into blissful sleep. 

‘Will I hold you when the night is over’

~

One week later, Albus way making his way home late from a tutoring that had been strangely delayed by his timid subject Nik, first showing up rather abnormally half an hour late, then insisting on extra revision for 40 minutes afterwards? All the while, he couldn’t help but notice how unlike him this all was, alongside the ever consistent, slight shake the boy had in his hands …

~

\- That same morning -

“You’ll stall him for 1 hour this afternoon” said Gellert sweetly, getting up close in the boy’s personal space, “Or else …” he added menacingly, making the boy gulp in intimidation …

~

‘All in all, very strange’ Albus thought befuddled, as he finally made his way back to Elephant and Castle underground to catch his train home. Rounding the corner on Abbeville Road, onto his street, 20 minutes later, he considered perhaps popping into Bathilda’s to ask her for her white chocolate and raspberry scone recipe that Ariana had been eager to try baking in their now restored oven. Upon knocking politely her door, he gained no answer in response, which was also unusual … 

‘Perhaps she’s organised a Friday night date with Julie” he then thought shrugging, as he made his way now in the direction of his own home. 

Peacefully opening the door to his house, he expected to walk in and find Aberforth cooking dinner and Ariana and Vinda both happily perched at the kitchen table pursuing through all of Ariana’s favourite online shopping websites. He expected himself to walk down to their sitting room and find his boyfriend moaning in frustration, whilst attempting to add audio onto his bands new Spotify platform. 

What he didn’t expect was a shower of confetti in his face and the sound of many voices yelling –

“SURPRISE”

Albus stood in the doorframe of his house, completely dumbstruck. 

“What” he spluttered, staring between his boyfriend who had another silly hat on, this time a party one. His sister who was wearing one of her best dresses and looking rather pleased with herself, his brother who had an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders; and Minerva and Bathilda who were both holding up ends of a sign reading –

‘Happy 19th Birthday Albus’

“But my birthday is not for another 3 months” he said bewilderedly to them. 

“I know” said Ariana sympathetically, “But planning a birthday party for you was one of my distraction hobbies in hospital and I wanted to do it whilst Minerva was still here, plus to also celebrate the end of Aberforth’s schooling and your first year of uni! Besides you also never had a proper 18th, so it’s a make up for that too …”

Albus smiled warmly at her. 

“Truly I don’t know what to say …” he said faintly, staring around at them all. 

“Then don’t say anything” said Ariana laughing and coming up to hug him, “Just know how much we all love and appreciate you …”

“Here, Here” said Gellert heartedly, removing his hat and giving his boyfriend a mock bow, as Aberforth rolled his eyes behind him. 

Albus laughed happily, then smiled. 

“Thank you” he said softly, “To all of you …”

~

The pleasant night wore on and whilst the group were happily engaged in conversation in the sitting room, that Gellert and Vinda had cleaned up for the occasion, Ariana came out of the kitchen with a large cake that she had proudly baked herself in their newly fixed oven. She placed it on the coffee table near where both Albus and Gellert were standing, then rapidly turned back round to answer a knock on the front door. As she did, both boys looked down at the cake with eager interest. It was a lemon cake of some sort, one that had white icing and to which Ariana had somehow, to no one’s comprehension of exactly how? managed to crush an entire packet of sherbet lemon sweets, that were then sprinkled across the top. 

“Wow” said Gellert, staring at it a dumbfounded expression, “What an effort!”

“Sherbet Lemons may be too hard for bird’s and Aberforth, but not Ariana” Albus agreed with a cheerful laugh. 

“Albus” his sister then called happily from the doorframe behind him, “Look who it is”.

Albus immediately turned around excitedly and sure enough, standing in the doorframe with his tan, acne scars, a present in his arms and an absolute joyous expression, was his long awaited and dearly missed best friend. 

“ELPHIAS!” Albus cried out ecstatically, as he raced over to hug him, leaving a very confused and very darkened expression Gellert in his wake. 

“Who?” Gellert questioned Aberforth, who arrived next to him with candles, a set of plates and cutting knife. 

Aberforth looked between the pair and Gellert with his jealous demeanour, then smirked widely. 

“He’s never mentioned his former flame to you?” he asked him, with a raised eyebrow. 

“His what?” said Gellert hotly, turning abruptly towards him, as Aberforth rolled his eyes again. 

“His best friend” he said pointedly, placing the plates and knife down of the table. 

“Minerva is his best friend” Gellert argued.

“Yes” said Aberforth impatiently, “But Elphias is his high school best friend” he added, smirking widely once more, - “and alas! many days under the warm sunshine they shared, sitting close to each in class and at lunch, sharing biscuits, sharing longing gazes …”

“That’s not funny” Gellert snapped at him

“No, your right! it’s positively hilarious” said Aberforth smugly, as he began slowly placing the candles into a ‘19’ shape on the cake.

Gellert scowled at him

“I liked you better when you had no sense of humour” he said in a sulky voice, that Aberforth responded to by smirking wider than ever 

in a very satisfying and concluding sort of way … 

~ 

The next day, Albus and Vinda accompanied Minerva to the Kings Cross Station for her train to Edinburgh, that would connect her onto Inverness. The three came out of the underground connection on the north end and walked curiously by a very large group of excited people gathered around Platforms 9 and 10. 

“I wonder where they’re all going” said Vinda looking back over her shoulder at the strange horde of people. 

“Don’t know” replied Albus, just as interested, “Somewhere magical I suppose …” 

Minerva laughed at the absurd idea, as the three of them then came to a halt in front of the large train boards. 

“Platform 7” confirmed Minerva hesitantly, “leaving in 5 minutes …”

She then turned her attention back to her two mournful looking good friends and smiled affectionately at them

“It’s not forever” she said gently, “Christmas holidays will be here soon and I’ll visiting before you know it”

“Do” said Albus seriously, then added – “Promise?”

“I promise” she agreed, as the two then embraced. 

“Who am I going to sit next to in lectures and debate theories with now?” he asked, hugging her tightly. 

“Me!” she said, in a way of asking him – why even ask?! “Figuratively … I still have a phone remember? message me”

“Constantly” he said smiling, as he gently realised her.

She smiled warmly back and lifted herself up to kiss him on the cheek

“Look after yourself” she now said very seriously, “If you don’t, I’ll find out and I’ll be straight back on the train bound for you, mark my word …”

“I’ll look after him” said Vinda reassuringly to her, “I’ll look after all of them” she added with a nod. 

Minerva now turned her attention to her now and gave her an admirable expression. 

The two girls then also embraced, with just the slightest trace of tears now embedded in the corner of Minerva’s eye’s

“I’m so glad I met you” she said sniffily to the other girl, “You’ve helped me a lot, you have no idea”

“Oh Mon Cheri, you as well” Vinda replied laughing, but also tearing up a little herself. 

The two broke away and beamed at each other. 

“Best get on the train” said Minerva sadly, grabbing her luggage and proceeding onwards towards the gate as the other two gloomily watched her go. 

From where she stood at the gate, Minerva suddenly turned around to face them once more. With a cheeky expression, she then lifted a hand up into her hair and proceed to pull out the tie, thus allowing her black strands to fall gracefully onto her shoulders. From there, she gave a very specific wink to the other girl who responded by cackling into laugher, as Albus smiling broadly, joined in shortly afterwards.

“Au Revoir” Minerva called back to them, very ‘Vinda’ style, before walking through her gate and disappearing into the crowd. 

~

The remaining two left the train station sadly, walking slowly step by step with arms around each other’s shoulders.

“You want a drink?” said Vinda, nodding her head in the direction of the nearest pub. 

“Sure” said Albus weakly, “I think we need one”

“and it’ll be scotch” said Vinda with a reflective smile, “a toast to our very special and now departed friend”

“If it’s weakened down with lemonade then sure” said Albus with a grimace, to which Vinda laughed and playfully nudged him. 

As the two began making their way over, Albus’ phone buzzed from inside his jean pocket. Frowning slightly, he removed it and clicked on the green circle receive button. 

“Hello” he answered curiously

“Albus darling it’s me” said Aunt Honoria’s voice from down the line, “Your mother has woken up”

~

Kendra laughed very weakly as she, with what strength she had, clutched witfully onto her three children, all of whom were hugging her tightly as she lay in her hospital bed. 

“Enough now” said Aunt Honoria half-heartedly, attempting to pry Ariana off, who was closest to her, “Your mother is very weak at the moment remember? let’s not physically overwhelm her”.

So, the three of them resentfully stood up and grabbed nearby chairs to each sit down next to their bedridden mother. 

“Your drip is empty” said Aunt Honoria, with a meaningful nod at the other woman, “I’ll go let a nurse know” she added, turning to make her way out the room. 

“Thank you, Honoria,” said Kendra in a small voice, as the woman herself, froze in her steps and turned back around to face her.

“Always” she said, with nod and sincere smile, then so to leave the mother alone with her children, she walked out closing the door behind her. 

As she turned to face Aberforth and Ariana who both sat on her left-hand side, Kendra’s expression fell slightly

“I never meant to neglect the two of you” she said to them bitterly, “When things crashed and burnt, I should have had the capability to pick myself back up, only I didn’t and the two of you suffered as a result. Aberforth; you by feeling you had to take over control of the household and Ariana; by not getting the help you were needing after that awful event, I’m so, so sorry” she added, now tearing up. 

“No mother, please don’t cry, it’s ok” said Ariana quickly, moving forward to hug the woman again. 

“We’re fine” Aberforth reassured her, “and I’m sorry for treating you so harshly, empathy and rationally are things Vinda’s been helping me to work on, I realise my mistake in being that way with you, so if you can, please forgive me” he added with a steady breath and pleading look in his eyes.

Kendra smiled weakly at him 

“Don’t be ridiculous” she said to him with a small exasperated laugh, “You’re a teenager! the only person who needs to forgiveness is me, the adult … and as soon as I’m out of here, I’m going to myself a proper full-time job and things will start turning around, we’ll continue Ariana’s therapy as a group and things will start to get better, I promise”

“Calm down mother” said Aberforth with a groan, but smiling at her all the same, “You still have to get some rest and rehabilitation first”

“Yes” Albus agreed softly, “We can talk about all of this later”

Kendra turned her attention now to her eldest, gazing up at him with an expression of love and an almost fear, that he attempted to ease, by smiling warmly and sincerely down at her. 

“I’m so sorry to you too my darling” she said softly, “for making you feel like your purpose in life was to please and support me. I never intended to make you feel that way, I only ever wanted to help you become the best version of yourself you possibly be and to protect you. I over did both and I regret it terribly! You’re an adult now and your own individual person, so you should be free to live your own life without me holding you back” she added, gazing up at him sincerely. 

He smiled weakly back at her, as she took a breath and continued,

“I want you to live the life you love” she said determinedly, staring deeply into his eyes “- with the boy, who you love” she added, with a meaningful smile. 

Albus sobbed slightly, then with overwhelming love and gratitude, he like Ariana reembraced his mother who lay stroking his hair.

Taking a deep breath, Albus sat back up and as he did, Kendra lay staring softly up at all three teenagers sat around her. 

“My three beautiful children” she said softly, “How blessed I am as a human being, I can lose what seems like everything, but that all means nothing … I still have all three of you”.

Smiling and laughing happily, her children hugged her for a third time now, as she, clutching them with weak hands, smiled gratefully at the ceiling, a single tear trickling down from the corner of her eye.

~

Ariana was the first person up the next morning. For a little while, she lay in her own bed smiling peacefully up at the ceiling. Then feeling a strange urge to do so, she tiptoed out of her bedroom and down the hallway to her brothers’ room. Opening the gap slightly, she saw within the soft darkness beyond, her brother laid out horizontally on his back, shaggy hair across his pillow, as Vinda lay sideways next to him, coverings around her upper body, a hand pressed onto his bare chest. She smiled softly to herself and closed the door again. 

She then walked to the further point of the hallway and up the small staircase leading to her other brothers’ upper bedroom. Parting the door slightly, she smiled even further at the sight of her eldest brother, laid on his side with Gellert’s arm wrapped protectively around him, as the two both lay cuddled under thin blankets. Allowing them their privacy, she closed the door once more and proceeded down to the kitchen. After a quick job making herself a cup of tea, she then walked towards the front door of their home and fearlessly opened it. There on the steps, in her new favourite spot she sat watching not a pair of butterflies, but plenty, all fluttering happily around the Lady Slipper Orchids now rising from their small patch of front garden. 

As the clouds of that morning allowed a stream of sunlight to slip through and shine down onto where she sat, it was then and there she then thought to herself –

‘Everything is ok now’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (i) For those who don't recognise the song, its "Coming of Age" by Foster the People. I was listening to it a few weeks back and had a light blob moment, thinking how fitting it was to Gellert's character arc. So battling with myself each week then afterwards, The corny side of me finally won over and I added it in. I haven't changed the lyrics to much from the original, it is indeed a song about 'Growing up' - Song writing credits: Mark Foster and Cubbie Fink
> 
> (i) Anyone who hasn't been to Kings Cross station in London, that its exact layout. The entrances to Platforms 9, 10 and 11 are on one side of the station, the entrances to all other platforms on the other. I don't think this is how it originally was ... I think it's been deliberately changed that way, to keep tourists separate from general commuters (if I'm wrong someone tell me). The Harry Potter shop is also on that end, but i obviously didn't mention that ;) 
> 
> (i) for anyone is interested, I've added a very late art image of Minerva to the previous chapter.


	23. Epilogue

23\. Epilogue 

\- 1 year later –

Vinda sat clutching her boyfriends’ hand, whilst gazing glumly up at the flight screens. Suddenly the flight she was due to fly on switched its status from ‘arrived’ to ‘boarding now’ and she sighed deeply. 

“I have to go through security now” she said to him sadly, “You can’t follow”

“I know” he said softly, “Keep an eye on my brother for me, will you?” he then added firmly. 

“He can handle himself” she said, lifting herself up to embrace her boyfriend. He responded by gripped her back just as tightly. 

“You’re a little too anxious for someone about to embark on her first tour” he said loftily in her ear. 

“I’m a girlfriend whose about to leave her man home alone for 3 months” she said snootily back, “What do you expect?”

“That you’re going to have a great time” he said kissing her on the cheek, “I love you …”

She smiled into his shoulder. 

“I love you too …”

~

After waking up, Kendra arrived back in her home 2 months of solid rehab later. As predicted, she tutted unhappily at all the pastries in the fridge, scowled at the distasteful flowers in the garden, but then nodded with firm approval at the state of their sitting room. 

“Thank you for keeping the house tidy” she said to her three children, who shot each other uneasy glances as Gellert and Vinda, who had cleaned up that morning, sniggered quietly from behind them. 

Not too long afterwards, Kendra through her new close friend Bathilda, got a job running admin at the British Museum. Suddenly all the financial hardship of the household seemed like yesterday’s problem. The woman herself was also much happier having the addition of two new and ‘real’ close friends in her life, in the way of not just Bathilda, but also Bathilda’s new fiancé’ Julie, who had continued to monitor Ariana’s progress throughout the year. 

If things were not already looking up for the middle age woman, a phone call late one afternoon on a Friday lifted her spirits even further. Percival her husband would be eligible for parole sooner than expected as a result of good behaviour. Upon the telling her children this news, the four hugged each other tightly and promptly arranged a visit to see him up in Wales.

It was there, dressed in their unconventional finest, Gellert and Vinda both finally met their partners father. Upon seeing them, the man raised his eyebrows at his wife, who simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled sweetly back at him. 

No further questions were asked …

~

Not too long after Kendra was realised from hospital, Ariana had made it back to school and as she did, her brothers and their partners, sat cheekily on the school fence cheering her on. 

“Guys stop” she moaned, rolling her eyes, “You’re embarrassing me”

“But we’re so proud off you!” Vinda cried out in a playful voice. 

“Yeah, go kick the arse of every boy in that school” Gellert added joyously, giving her a wink, as Albus and Aberforth laughed on heartedly. 

“Oh my god” she moaned to herself, but then as she turned back around to face the building, her smile could not have been bigger. 

It didn’t take her too long afterwards to make her own group of friends and she had also met, what can only be described as a ‘nice boy’. Though nowhere near ready to attempt dating, she was happy for now just being able to socialise once more, without fear of adverse repercussions. The confidence she had acquired even led her to getting a small weekend job at her favourite shop. Though only in a sales role for now which was typical of high school student, she had already spoken to her manager about the possibly of becoming a ‘Personal Shopper’ upon leaving school and so far, things were looking good. 

She had even started an Instagram account with a friend from school, in which the two styled one another than posted their outfits. The page was fast gaining a following and her styling ability was already being recognised by the outer community. When asked by her boss if she would like to be featured on her company’s social media account, she happily said –

“Yes” 

~

Meanwhile, Bathilda was the not the only person who managed to get engaged that year. Minerva who was living in a small village, in the mountains close by Inverness, sent Vinda a text one day during lunch and the girl responded to it by screaming loudly, causing everyone around her to jump two feet in the air. 

“Minerva’s engaged” she squealed, as Albus blinking rapidly, quickly jotted over to have a look at the text and make sure she wasn’t joking,

She wasn’t.

The two of them, plus Gellert, then spent the rest of that hour in a very excited group chat with Minerva over FaceTime and from there, along with Albus’ family and Bathilda and Julie, they were invited to an engagement party at some old heritage building up in the Highlands. 

“It’s so beautiful” Ariana sighed as she and Gellert approached it. 

“Meh! I’ve seen nicer castles in Austria” he replied, placing an arm around her and walking them into the building. 

It was a very lovely night. One in which much scotch was drunk, and at one point, a loose haired Minerva flung her arms around Albus shoulders. 

“I’m so happy” she whispered tearfully to him. 

“and so you deserve to be” he whispered back, giving a very proud Dougal a wink from the corner of his eye. 

Together they lay watching the very bright stars outside on a nearby field sometime later, as they did one went shooting past. 

“Make a wish” Albus whispered to his friend cheekily, to which she gazed over at him and smiled. 

“I wish you all the happiness in the world as well” she said sincerely,

Smiling, he pulled her in close, as two turned their attention blissfully back towards the night sky. 

~

As it was, Albus was rather happy! - he had moved out of home,

Though admittedly, not very far … 

Whilst Vinda had finally relieved herself of her student accommodation, by moving permanently into his brothers’ room, he himself had moved into his own boyfriends’ room in Bathilda; and now Julies house. It was a small step in the way of gaining independence, but one that meant a great deal to him all the same. 

As he continued to do well at university and Aberforth continued to do well in his role as Duty Manager at Prince of Wales in Brixton, Gellert and Vinda were meanwhile enjoying great commercial success with their band. Their YouTube account had over 100K subscribers, they played Reading Festival that year and here now about to embark on their first tour of Europe. One that Gellert had asked his other half along to and Albus in response, happily replied –

“Yes”

Whilst Elphias had switched from a working visa, to student visa and was now studying abroad in Australia. Albus had promised to one day finally make it to him, but for now it was baby steps, starting with a small trip around Europe, curtesy of EMI, via way of ‘The Deathly Hallows’ signed contract with them. 

And it was here at London Stansted Airport, his next chapter was starting … 

~

“Liebling if you buy any more books, the weight of them all is going to topple the foundations of our bedroom and make us fall right out the side of my aunt’s house” said Gellert rubbing the shoulders of the boy in front of him, whom was scanning the book shelf with a look of deep concentration. 

“I can’t travel without a book” he said stubbornly, “What else will I have to occupy myself with during down time?”

“Me” said Gellert simply, now nibbling his ear. 

“Get off” said Albus giggling, and then with wide eyes, he at last found and made his selection, -‘The Beach by Alex Garland.

Gellert looked at it curiously, then back at his lover with a somewhat more dismal expression than before. 

“You know we’re only going to Europe” he said softly, pushing a strand of auburn hair behind the other boy’s ear, “Not South East Asia”

“I know” said Albus with a small smile, flicking the pages of the book, “But I’ll get there one day …”

“You mean I’ll take you there one day” said Gellert reassuringly, “I’ll take you all around the world, not once but three times, a dozen times! remember what I said? nothing is out of limits for you” he added making the other boy smile weakly, but affectionately at him. 

With a cheeky grin, he grabbed the book out his hands and walked up to the counter to pay for it. The two then walked out of WHSmith with Gellert’s arm secured tightly around his boyfriends’ shoulders. 

“I love you” Albus whispered softly to him

“I love me too” said Gellert boisterously, which Albus responded to by whacking him playfully around the head, something he seemed to have taken over doing from Aunt Bathilda within the last 6 months or so. 

Gellert grinned and lifted the other boy off his feet, so that he was now standing in the middle of the busy airport with his boyfriend shamelessly in his arms. 

“I love you more and more each day, and we’re only got what? – there are 365 days in a year … I’m now 20, so that makes … 25 550 days left off loving you more and more; and maybe after that’s done, I will be so full of love, I will beat physics and then I’ll defiantly float up to the moon!” he said with an adoring expression at the other boy. 

“Don’t predict when you’re going to die, that’s depressing” said Albus laughing at him, “and you’ll still end up getting lost in space, and …”. 

He was suddenly shushed by Gellert placing his lips firmly on his. He was taken well off guard, but moaned appreciatively into the kiss all the same. As they pulled back, Albus gazed dotingly at his lover, who smiled affectionately back at him. 

“Do you really think we’ll end up lasting that long?” he asked with a hopeful expression. 

“There’s a phoenix in the sky” Gellert replied softly. 

Albus smiled happily and buried his face into Gellert’s shoulder. As he did, the other boy gently placing him back down onto his feet. He then lifted his chin back up so to give him a softer, yet equally meaningful and long-lasting kiss. Breaking away with foreheads still touching, Gellert looked down at the other boy with the deepest of expressions …

“I love you too”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left comments and kudos on this work! This is not only the first fan fiction I’ve ever written, but also the first story I’ve pieced together in a very long time. The grammar was bad, it was slow in the middle and generally messy in other bits … but I really loved writing it! and for those who expressed their enjoyment, feedback and/or constructive criticism with regards to it, I am so grateful! So thank you again! Also, to those who liked the artworks, thank you as well! Sorry we couldn’t keep them up, writing long chapters then doing digital images, too much!
> 
> Shout out to ‘slxuliop’ for all the very beautiful aesthetics’ she made 💕💕 If you haven’t seen them, have a look for them in the comment’s section, there is one for almost each chapter! And thank you girl, for also teaching me how to upload images 🥰😘
> 
> Thank you also to ‘ScreamingRay’ for the very cute fanart, it can be found on twitter and insta under @mademosnoir, so please take a look and support this artist' 💕💕
> 
> I may write more under this fandom, not too sure yet. I have an original story I want to move on to, so we’ll see … in the meantime, all the best from me! 😊
> 
> ❤️


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